Summit Series Lite

Well, my question today pertains to the new Summit Series set to begin next week. What's that you say? You had no idea there was a Summit Series starting next week? No kidding.

Does anyone really care about this? This will essentially be a glorified WJHC featuring THE dominate junior team in the last few years against a team that has kinda mailed it in on the international stage.

This is no longer men fighting it out on the ice for what they believe in - a literal cold war, it's boys having 8 scrimmages before their seasons begin, at which point some will join each other in the same leagues.

The mystique of the Soviets is gone now, we have seen all of the players on the Russian team play, they play in our hometowns on our CHL teams and are drafted by our franchise of choice. There is no smug attitude that we will walk all over them, and the surprise that follows when we find out they are in fact a very worthy opponent.

All of that is lost in this Summit Series lite. It is not an embodiment of the times, it does not represent Us against Them, instead it is a series of friendly games between future stars.

This is one of the only times I can remember not being excited for an international hockey event at the junior level or above. Don't get me wrong, I am still going to watch (though that may consist of snagging the 9am games on my PVR...that is just way to early for a student in his last week before classes) but I certainly will not be very emotionally invested.

Will you be watching?