Hockey has reached that point of the season when tournaments across the world begin and schedules become altered as teams and players depart. This year is also different since it is an Olympic year which is the only tournament that shuts down the NHL.
The junior leagues have taken their mini break as the World Junior Championships are currently underway in Sweden. Many of the best junior league players will be representing their countries in the tournament. Generally NHL teams will not allow a player who qualifies for the tournament to play since they themselves are trying to win games. However young players from the AHL do tend to go play.
The Spengler Cup also got underway this week which is an invite only tournament in Switzerland. This year the Rochester Americans were invited to play and represent the AHL and North America. I'd be willing to bet the next invitation might not come anytime soon.
European hockey tends to be more about skill and finesse rather than hard hitting and rough. That especially applies for tournaments like the WJC and Olympics. Take this for example. The Spengler Cup last year was won by Team Canada. This is basically a team comprised of Canadian players playing in the Swiss league. In four games they recorded 56 total penalty minutes. In the entire tournament the most individual penalty minutes was 12. Well check this from our AHL brothers. In the first game they played, Rochester picked up 60 penalty minutes and had two players ejected. You can take the team out of the AHL, but you can't take the AHL out of the team. Can't imagine the dudes running the tournament were happy to see that.
Frederik Roy was particularly unimpressed with the hockey sticks in Europe.
Rochester is now 0-2 after losing today. At least they didn't invite Bridgeport over.
For the tournament lovers out there be sure to check out Slovakia against the USA tomorrow morning. Should be a good test for the American squad.
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