Mark Streit not happy with new World Cup format

Flyers defenseman Mark Streit thinks back to the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy with great fondness.

His Swiss squad shocked the world by edging the Czech Republic 3-2, then shutting out Canada 2-0 en route to a trip to the medal round.

It was one of the proudest moments of his hockey career.

While a whole bunch of NHLers could represent their countries in September 2016, when the World Cup of Hockey returns, Streit won't.

According to reports, the NHL and NHLPA are expected to announce the details Friday for the return of the World Cup of Hockey. Among those details is a new team of European All-Stars that would comprise of players who aren't from the Czech Republic, Russia, Finland or Sweden.

If Streit were selected, he'd be suiting up with players like Slovakians Tomas Tatar and Zdeno Chara, Solvenian-born Anze Kopitar and Norwegian Mats Zuccarello.

"I don't like it at all. Not one thing about it," Streit said. "It's a nations tournament. You love playing for your country."

The format of the new World Cup, which hasn't been played since 2004, is to have the European All-Star team, a North American "Young Guns" team comprised of players under 23 years old, Canada, the U.S. and the four aforementioned European nations.

"It's supposed to be the top eight (countries)," said Streit, who represented Switzerland in 12 World Championships. "For players, you want to play for your team. That's the whole purpose of it. I don't know. I don't like it at all. There's supposed to be the top eight. Go with that. Whoever's in is in; whoever's not is not. This is…I don't know."

The NHL and commissioner Gary Bettman have made the reincarnation of the World Cup of Hockey a priority over things like the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Bettman was annoyed at December's meeting of the NHL board of governors in Boca Raton, Fla., when he was pressed for details, including of the two makeshift squads in the would-be tournament.

"If you're baking a pie, and you see one of the elements is something you don't like, but you happen to like the pie, you've got to look at the whole mix," Bettman told reporters at the time. "So when we get to the point where we make an announcement, people will either say, 'This is outstanding, we love it,' or they'll say, 'We don't like this, we don't like that.' We'll see."

Streit may be more of a cake man, especially after seeing he'd have to share national pride with teammates on a European Spares squad in a tournament that's previously been made of only individual nations.

After all, how awkward would it be if the European All-Stars and North American Young Guns were the top two teams in the tournament?

The only good Streit sees in it is the primer for the NHL season. It will reportedly be held in September, as it was in 2004 when the Canadians won the last time the event was held.

"It's high competition. Hockey players love to play that kind of thing," Streit said. "It's like the Olympics. You want to compete against the best. You want to represent your country."

If the reports are correct, that last part definitely won't happen for Streit.

Reach Dave Isaac at disaac @courierpostonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @davegisaac.