There are plenty of hockey people who say that the World Championships are meaningless. The best comparison to make is that it is like the World Baseball Classic of Hockey, except its held every year and is 77 years old.
The tournament is held every May and it attracts very little media attention on this side of the Atlantic because it goes up against a little thing called the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL fans thumb their noses at the World Championships because if they are following them it means their team has missed the playoffs and this could happen.
European hockey fans take the tournament very seriously. Their club season has ended and it is now time to let their nationalistic pride shine through.
In 2011, Finland went beserk when they defeated bitter rival/neighbor Sweden to win gold.
This year Sweden exacted some revenge on the Finns by defeating them in the semi-finals before defeating Switzerland for the Gold Medal.
The celebration had all the makings of an all-time great Swedish party, The Sedin twins wearing gold helmets, thousands of screaming Swedes in Stockholm, and of course some good ol’ fashion rioting.
Party on, Sweden. Never let anyone tell you that your gold helmets are meaningless.
About Michael Leboff