Thomas Pieters improved his chances of earning a captains pick for the Ryder Cup

As the 2016 World Cup winds down, we wondered: What should the next installment of the event look like? Should teams like North America and Europe be invited back? Or should the tournament be limited to teams representing one specific country??Should there again be a team of under-24 players??Our writers offered their thoughts and suggestions.The kids played hockey that well never forget, and the old goats from Europe reminded us what a team-first concept can produce. But the World Cup of Hockey, in my mind, needs to return in 2020 with a traditional format.Why? Because it isnt truly best-on-best unless countries have all their best players at their disposal. Team USA should have had access to Johnny Gaudreau, Jack Eichel, Brandon Saad and Auston Matthews. Hey, the Americans might have still lost, but at least they would have been able to pick from among all their best options. And Connor McDavid should have been on Team Canada (a scary thought, given how Canada has romped through this tournament).The point is, best-on-best was coined for the old Canada Cup tournaments because, unlike the Olympic hockey competitions of the time, the Canada Cup truly showcased the best NHLers from each country. So, I would suggest the top eight hockey countries return for 2020, with the last two spots to be determined in a European qualification tournament in the summer of 2019. And if the NHL doesnt participate in the 2018 Olympics in South Korea (plenty left to play out on that end either way), then its even more imperative for the NHL and the NHL Players Association to return with a traditional, country-only format so that theres a best-on-best event that truly crowns the best country in the world that year. -- Pierre LeBrunThis is a tough question for me, because my favorite part of this World Cup was watching Team North America play. The kids put in the two best games of the tournament, against Russia and Sweden, and yet I dont think they should be here again. For the World Cup to matter as much as it should, hockey needs to follow soccers example. Every four years, it should stage a best-on-best tournament, featuring the eight highest-seeded countries in the world.I like the size and duration of this tournament, except Id make the final a single game to improve the chances of an upset. Id have one city host the World Cup, but Id move the event around among the competing countries from year to year and give it a more genuinely international flavor. Reserve the Olympics for the kids -- 23 and under, again, just like soccer. Then we get to see the games brightest young stars every two years, and were only asking for more from its horses every four. Two different tournaments, with two different feels. And with the World Cup being the most inclusive and meaningful of them all. -- Chris JonesThe two best stories in this World Cup were Team North America capturing the heart of hockey fans everywhere and Team Europe making a Cinderella run. I see that my colleagues are trying to euthanize both of them. Theyre just as heartless as I always suspected.Im not interested in bringing Germany or Slovakia back into the mix, only to get steamrolled by Canada. I loved the stories of the players on Team Europe who beat major powers during international play for the first time in their lives. I say let it continue.My only changes would be to add a quarterfinal round so we dont see another scenario where the kids are sent home after going 2-1 and playing out of their minds. Id give Team USA and Canada an exemption or two to grab a player off the North American team they might need, and Id allow anybody who had previously played on North America to try out for their national team. If they make it, theyre on. If not, they can return and give us Young Guns 2. -- Craig CustanceIm a big believer in building the game of hockey at the grassroots level. The World Cup of Hockey concept had me intrigued from Day 1. While the creation of Team North America and Team Europe seemed like a gimmick at first, it actually was all about building the sport. It took Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger to make me realize that.If, by some chance, theres a child in one of those European countries who falls in love with this great game and develops into a solid human being because of hockey -- even if he or she doesnt become a pro player -- then this tournament was a success. You dont have to reach the NHL to be considered a success story. A life in hockey, in any fashion, at any level, helps the game and society. Theres a much bigger picture to the World Cup and Krueger is right.Now, I also agree with many hockey people that a best-on-best tournament should be country versus country. The best-case scenario would be to compete at the Olympic level, but if the NHL could figure out a way to make the World Cup an exciting and successful event, Im all for keeping it in the four-year loop. Yes, logistics are a challenge, as weve seen in 2016, but for the betterment of the game and the continued development of kids around the world, this event needs to continue. -- Joe McDonaldI must admit that I really wrestled with this whole proposition of whats next for the World Cup. The first edition of the tournament in 12 years?was, in some ways, a perfect storm, with the dynamic -- some would even say inspirational -- play of Team North America, and the plucky determination of Team Europe in reaching the finals against powerhouse Canada.Many folks, including some of my colleagues, want to do away with both teams. I think that would be a mistake. No international tournament has ever had the level of NHL participation that the 2016 World Cup of Hockey has. To willfully move away from that just to introduce teams that will play a less-inspiring brand of hockey -- and that is what a true, Olympic-style tournament will produce -- would be self-defeating.To cover both ends of the argument, lets expand the field to 12 -- a la the Olympics -- with two spots reserved for Team North America, part deux, and Team Europe, which would be composed of players from nations that did not qualify in a qualifying tournament. No pretournament games would be played, to keep the length of the event manageable.As for the location, thats even more difficult. The NHL has insisted that every ticket for every game in Toronto was sold. If you split a 12-team tournament between two cities, would fans bite? And can you find a place in North America or Europe to achieve this, so as to legitimately call it a World Cup? What about Toronto and Buffalo? Or Washington and Pittsburgh? Its a lot to ask, but especially if the Olympics become a nonfactor for the NHL moving forward, I cant imagine that cities in North America and abroad wouldnt be clamoring to have hockeys best visit for a couple of weeks in September. -- Scott Burnside Vans Store Near Me . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Vans Shoes Sale . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. http://www.vanssalestore.com/ . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Vans Toy Story Sale . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Vans Old Skool Sale . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. FARSO, Denmark -- Thomas Pieters improved his chances of earning a captains pick for the Ryder Cup by winning the Made in Denmark tournament on Sunday to claim his third European title.The 24-year-old Belgian, who was fourth in the Olympics, finished with three birdies for a 6-under par 65 on the day and a 17-under total of 267 to beat Bradley Dredge by one stroke. The Welshman finished in style with a 30-foot birdie putt for 67.Adrian Otaegui of Spain and David Lipsky of the United States were tied for third with 269, after a final round where rain and thundery conditons halted play for more than four hours.It was Pieters second appearance at the Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort, where he tied for 35th last year. His winning total is the lowest ever at the Made in Denmark and he also became the youngest winner of the tournament.Its all about winning tournaments, Pieters said. Thaat was one of my goals, to just have one every year, just so you know youre improving and you can win.dddddddddddd Thats very important.Asked if his victory would create a headache for Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke, he answered: I would think so.Clarke is scheduled to announce his three picks on Tuesday for Europes contest with the United States at Hazeltine from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.He (Clarke) has got plenty of good players to pick from, so if he doesnt pick me, then so be it and Ill work my butt off to get there in the next one, Pieters said. But Ive done all I can now and Im just really pleased with this win to be honest.Pieters started the final round one shot behind the 43-year-old Dredge, who finished runner-up at Himmerland for the second time. ' ' '