NHL analyst proposes global midseason tournament to replace Hockey World Cup - "People are clamoring for high-quality international hockey"

The NHL is planning to organise the Hockey World Cup in 2028. But hockey analyst Mark Lazerus has suggested a new idea for international hockey. He wants a global midseason tournament with NHL teams against top club teams. Lazerus said it should look like the UEFA Champions League in soccer.

"I want a UEFA Champions League or Club World Cup-style global midseason tournament between teams, not between countries," Lazerus said. "...And I want them to mean it."

Lazerus imagined matchups like the Florida Panthers versus Frolunda and the Edmonton Oilers against SKA St. Petersburg. He believes the proposed format would attract more fans.

He said that the 4 Nations Face-Off showed the demand for international hockey. Four international teams participated in the tournament in February, namely Canada, the USA, Sweden and Finland.

In the championship game, Team Canada defeated Team USA for the gold.

"If the 4 Nations Face-Off showed us anything, it’s that people are clamoring for high-quality international hockey," Lazerus said.

He said millions watch soccer’s Champions League final every year. Hockey may not reach those numbers, but it can do better than now.

"They can sure get more than the 600,000 or so who watch a regular-season game on cable in the dog days of the season," Lazerus said.

He suggested holding the event in February every year. It would replace the World Cup of Hockey during non-Olympic years, which the league is planning right now.

"Do this every other February instead of a World Cup in between Olympic years, and NHL teams will see their national and international profiles — not to mention their bottom lines — skyrocket," Lazerus said.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's comments on Hockey World Cup

The Hockey World Cup has only been held three times. The United States won in 1996, while Canada won in 2004 and 2016. The 2020 edition was canceled and the next is planned for 2028. The NHL and NHLPA run the event under league rules. That separates it from the Olympics and the World Championships.

Earlier during the 4 Nations Face-Off, commissioner Gary Bettman talked about his plans for the tournament.

“We are moving forward with the World Cup two years after the Olympics in 2028,” Bettman said, in February. "... we couldn’t be more excited about making a reality Olympics - World Cups - Olympics - World Cups on a regular schedule..."

The World Cup replaced the old Canada Cup in 1996. The Canada Cup was the first to allow countries to use their best players.

Canada won four of the five Canada Cups, with the Soviet Union winning once. The World Cup was meant to continue that legacy. Lazerus now argues that hockey needs a fresh idea for the future.