I was going to stay out of the discussion, but alas...at any rate, here are a few thoughts: There are pluses and minuses to this situation. IMO, the pluses outweigh the minuses, but it is really a matter of personal opinion and what you consider to be important. On the negative side, the WJC presents a problem that is similar to the age-old complaint that major college hockey exists as a free minor league system for the pros - though on a smaller scale. Players have to leave their college teams, who have invested time and money in developing them so that they can produce for their team, and often some of the games they miss are among the more important ones of the season. Holiday tourney action can help decide a team's chances in getting an NC$$ bid, and the RPI and other factors make no allowance for players lost to events such as the WJC. To that extent, I can see why people might prefer to have the players stay home. I know I have also heard of some coaches who have voiced this opinion. But there are many pluses, both for the player and the college team. Among them: * Players get a chance to play against high caliber opposition. This helps them become better players and is a benefit to the team when they return. There have been many cases of players who returned from the WJC to go on a tear the second half of the season. * As some have said, the fact that a school has its players selected to the WJC teams helps a school in terms of visibility and recruiting. Everybody around the world watching the tourney knows where the players come from, and maybe future recruits will choose that school knowing that the coach has a reputation for developing players who are chosen to play in the tourney. * Like the Olympics, it is a rare life experience for people - forget the fact that they play hockey - to be able to interact in close settings with other people from different countries and cultures. Often it is hard to remember that your way is not the only way of doing something, until you are hit over the head with it. * The tourney is held at such a time that players usually don't have to miss class to compete in it. However, I'm not sure what is done about finals for players who must report to camp early. I'd think this is worked out in some way that is acceptable to the school. I don't see this as a special benefit to players, either - I have known of students who had their finals moved and deadlines altered so that they could fly across the country to interview with prospective employers. * And of course, players who have aspirations of playing at a higher level, such as the Olympics or the pros, can learn a lot and draw interest by proving that they can play at such a higher level. I would have trouble denying any person such an opportunity, whether he/she played hockey or not. Overall, as I said, I do think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. But again, it is all a matter of what is most important - I can see how a team fighting for a berth and needing wins in the holiday tourneys might really miss the players that go. Yet, it seems from what I have heard, that a majority of coaches do support the situation and feel the same way I do. --- --- Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] Cabletron Systems, Inc. *HMM* 11/13/93