Hockey Canada Usa Time
Am I being cynical, or do so-called “all-time teams” in hockey seem redundant?
Recently, I overheard a radio interview where the International Ice Hockey Federation is compiling an all-time international hockey team. They plan on polling over 100 hockey writers to come up with a list that will take into account a player’s international career and professional exploits. That being said, for the next few months these writers will sell us hockey fans on a team that will have the usual suspects: Wayne Gretzky, Slava Fetisov, Martin Brodeur, yada, yada, yada.
The question here is this: isn’t it kind of pointless to announce an all-time team now, when it will be altered in twenty-five years? Better yet, what good is this IIHF team if it doesn’t include pre-World War 2 players, any members of team USA (especially 1960, 1980, and 2002), or countries other than the former Soviet Union, Canada, Sweden, and Finland?
What are some ideas to make this team legit? Any other thoughts?
The “All Time” what ever misses the mark in every sport. We (here on the forum) couldn’t come up with an “All Time” of current best players….someone unworthy would be on it, someone worthy left off. The redeeming factor of these lists is the introduction of former greats to newer/younger fans. Otherwise we have neo-phytes thinking that Sid Crosby invented something. It (the list, the debate it creates) illuminates that this has always been an exciting sport, played by the most skilled athletes in the world, for a long, long time. We know that nobody can really distill the “greatest ever” from the huge list of current and former greats. But it does give the new generation of fans some historical perspective and perhaps some interest to research. I despise the “greatest all-time” anything, but it does serve a valuable purpose.
USA WINS OVER CANADA IN HOCKEY AT THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS IN VANCOVER