Some of the greatest moments in Canadian history happened during the first legitimate competition of professional world hockey players.  The Canada Cup was a tournament where the world challenged us to keep our status as hockey super power.  It was simple, athough there was alot of teams in the tournament, it was Canada vs. The World.

The NHL scrapped the Canada Cup for the World Cup of Hockey.  It was the same idea except this time there would be games in America as well.  The tournament was a flop and we have not seen another since the ugly ass World Cup trophy was lifted.  Betman seems to be convinced to sell the NHL to the world it has to be an American brand of hockey.  A U.S.A. vs. The World mentallity.  The only problem is that the rest of the world is better at hockey than the U.S.A.

International tournaments are the best thing to grow the game across the world.  Forget dumb ideas like pre season games in London, training camps in Sweden, or NHL teams in the Czech Republic.  The NHL has problems scheduling for thirty NHL teams now, how could they ever include European cities into the league?  With the winter Olympics the only world tournament every four years there is a huge market opening for such tournaments.

The problem is that unlike the Olympics the World Cup of Hockey had no credibility.  It was just another terrible event held by the NHL.  The Canada Cup has tons of credibility, everyone on earth knows Canada is hockey's super power (Just ask the Russian Jr. team).  By Canada challenging the world it envokes strong emotions, every counrty wants thier shot at the best.

Canada could be to growing hockey around the world what the Yankees are to the MLB.  The team that everyone hates but are lining up to see play.  Unfortunatley Betman has that plan in store for U.S.A.