Oilers: Edmonton Looks to Host 2020 World Cup of Hockey

We’re still over six weeks away from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but the Oilers Entertainment Group is already planning to bid on the tournament in 2020. Though there is currently no concrete timeline for the bidding process, Edmonton Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson has made no secrets about his intentions to bring the World Cup to the Alberta capital four years from now.

Nicholson is known for thinking big picture, and it doesn’t get much bigger than bringing the best hockey players in the world to Edmonton for a two-week tournament. The 63-year-old Penticton, British Columbia native informed NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman of the team’s plans to host the 2020 World Cup of Hockey this past March.

“The year will be right in our wheelhouse,” Nicholson told the “Edmonton Journal” in regards to Edmonton hosting the 2020 World Cup of Hockey. “In 2019, the whole Ice District is finished.”

Nicholson also believes that there can’t be a better place for the next WCH to be held than Yeg.

“And when you look at what they’re trying to do in Toronto, they’re trying to create a tournament and festival,” Nicholson said. “Well, there is no better festival site than here in Edmonton. With Rogers Place, the top arena in North America, the Winter Garden and Ice District, these types of events are made for this district and the arena.”

OEG Vice President Kevin Lowe believes that Nicholson’s influence in the hockey world should help make Edmonton a top contender to host the 2020 World Cup of Hockey as well as other major hockey events such as the IIHF World Championship and the Memorial Cup.

“Bob’s relationship with international hockey goes a long way,” Lowe said on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer on Friday. “We certainly have a leg up on a lot of the competition, but by all means as the whole Ice District gets built out through 2019, we’ll be looking to host (more international events), NHL All-Star Game and NHL Draft.

“We’d love to host the World Cup. We would have loved to have hosted it this year, but it was just a little too tight with deadlines and stuff to take the risk.”

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My Take

The Oilers made a smart decision by not bidding on this year’s tournament. Even though Rogers Place likely would have been completed in time for the World Cup in September, there is still going to be heavy construction going on in downtown Edmonton for the next three years, with a 55-story JW Marriott Hotel being built right across the street, as well as other shopping centres, restaurants, a movie theatre and community arena. With the world watching, the Oilers would want to put its best foot forward and have a completed arena district to show off, which makes 2020 the ideal time to host the event.

Team North America should be an exciting team to watch in the World Cup, but I hope that this newly created team is a one-off for the NHL. Less than four months after helping Canada win gold at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, Oilers’ forward Connor McDavid will suit up for the 23-and-under North American squad.

McDavid should be playing for Canada in this tournament and in every major event for the next 15 years for that matter. It’s very likely that if the NHL allows its players to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, that McDavid will be on Team Canada.

And by 2020, most experts believe McDavid will be the best player in the world, if not sooner. However, McDavid will only be 23 in September 2020, and would still have to play for the young-stars team.

Next: Edmonton Oilers: Heritage Classic Jerseys to Come Out Friday

If Edmonton does host the tournament, McDavid has to play for Canada. I’m confident the the NHL will realize this, too.

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