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TORONTO -- Never mind 1996 or 1987, or any of the Canada Cups or even the first incarnations of the World of Cup of Hockey. The past, as glorious as it might have been, is the past. Finis. Over and done with.But the future?Thats really the story of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the sports first best-on-best tournament since the easily forgotten 2004 World Cup, which came on the eve of a lockout.Historically, this dog-eared tournament has been pulled from the hockey closet only when the league and the players needed to beef up their personal coffers. Now the tournament must prove it deserves a place at hockeys international table.If its done right, many believe there is a place for such a tournament.Longtime NHL and international coach Andy Murray, an assistant for Team Canada back in 1996, said he believes the early fall is the perfect time for this kind of tournament. Players are fresh, they love playing for their countries, and there is more preparation time than for the Olympics, driving up the potential for quality hockey.As a stand-alone event, the World Cup of Hockey doesnt lack for competitive juices and interest. In part, thats because of the allure of the Team North America squad made up of players under the age of 24 from Canada and the United States.Not sure anyone could have anticipated the buzz surrounding this fleet-of-foot, wildly skilled team led by the NHLs next great savior, Connor McDavid, and assisted by 2016 first overall draft pick Auston Matthews, who played in front of his new hometown fans in Toronto before he dons a Maple Leafs jersey in the regular season.What began as a gimmick has morphed into a happening, and it will be interesting to see how fans react if they are forced to choose between Team North America and Canada or the United States after the preliminary round.Despite a rash of injury withdrawals, the tournament boasts a whos who of hockeys elite, from Sidney Crosby to?Alex Ovechkin?to Henrik Lundqvist.Team USA is a decided underdog, especially given the selection of a team that left a number of high-skill players such as Phil Kessel and Tyler Johnson at home. But the Americans bear watching as they promise to play a highly physical style that they hope will see them erase the disappointment of the 2014 Sochi Olympics.So the product should not be an issue.But will that ensure a future of World Cups?More to the point, can this tournament provide the kinds of moments that will become a touchstone for a generation of hockey fans in the way the 1987 World Cup of Hockey earned mythic status in Canada or the 1996 version became a shining moment in U.S. hockey history?One element that will have a large impact on the World Cups role in the future of international hockey is whether this becomes the only best-on-best tournament available to the worlds top players.With the International Olympic Committee threatening to change the way it funds hockeys participation in the Olympics starting in 2018, theres a good chance the NHLs time at the Winter Games is over. The NHL and the players will not pay out of their own pockets to take part in a tournament that most, if not all, league owners hate for the disruption it brings to the regular-season schedule.It will be a sad day if the Olympic experiment, which began with the first NHL participation in 1998, is over. Nothing replaces the Olympics. Not even the World Cup of Hockey.But if the NHL is no longer going to the Olympics, the hunger for this type of international tournament must be satisfied somehow. And we know from the history of the Canada Cup/World Cup of Hockey that this tournament can create indelible memories that span the ages.However, if the NHL stays in the Olympics, then it adds another element of uncertainty to the World Cup of Hockey. Does it get tossed back into the hockey closet with the glowing pucks and mullets?And if not, how much is too much?The commissioner and his office have done such a sensational job of promoting our sport now with the players association, and being partners, and trying to put our game on a different level and expanding it more and more worldwide, so obviously from that point of view, its sensational, Wayne Gretzky said recently.But the Great One did express one concern.I just worry about fatigue, Gretzky said. They play so much hockey. And the level of competition now is so high, and the players are so big and strong and fast, I just sometimes go, Wow, are we playing a little bit too much hockey? But thats not for me to say; Im just talking as a fan.Through the tournaments final, fans will share in the creation of a new chapter of international play. How the chapter ends -- well, thats going to be a fascinating part of this journey.Fake Rangers Jerseys . 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Its an influence in football and a big part of the game.SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah continued its early-season onslaught Friday with its third consecutive 40-plus point win.Lorenzo Bonam scored 19 points as the Utes rolled over a weary Coppin State team 94-51. Utah has now won its first three games by a combined 130 points.Its a tough stretch for those guys and they didnt have a whole lot in the way of legs, Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak said. Were just trying to learn how to respect the game regardless of who it is were playing. And the price of pokers going to go up.The energy and effort, that type of thing has been there for us. Now weve got to combine that with quite a bit more complicated scouting report, be able to engage the brain and body and everything at the same time. Thatll be a challenge for us.The Utes opened the game with a 19-3 run and never looked back as their 3-point shooters had their best stretch of the season. Utah shot 64.3 percent from behind the arc in the first half, including three triples apiece from Parker Van Dyke and Jake Connor. Van Dyke matched his career high with 15 points.On the flip side, Coppin State seemed gassed from the beginning as it played its third game in three nights. The Eagles shot just 26.9 percent from the field in the first half, making it impossible to keep up with the dead-eye Utes.Utah transfer JoJo Zamora scored a season-high 22. The Utes connected on a season-high 12 3-pointers.Coppin State has played five games in eight days, all in different cities. The Eagles also wrapped up their third consecutive game in three nights -- Coastal Carolina, BYU and Utah. All three games were 30-plus point losses.Tre Thomas, Dejuan Clayton and Keith Shivers scored a team-high 10 apiece for Coppin State.These are going to be life experiences for these guys, Coppin State coach Michael Grant said. You have to preparre yourself mentally every single day.dddddddddddd Every time you step out here on the floor, you have to be ready to play. We havent been getting that.We have to look in the mirror. They have to assess where they are and find a way to grind this thing out because the road is not going anywhere. The schedule is not going anywhere. This is the hand were dealt.BIG PICTURECoppin State: The Eagles are in the money-making portion of their season, traveling the country for paydays against more talented programs. The conference season is what matters for Coppin State and it doesnt start MEAC play until January.Utah: The Utes continue to use the early part of the season to grow a roster with just two significant contributors from last season. The first half was their best 20 minutes of the season, but the level of competition didnt allow for a good feel of Utahs progress.NEW STARTERUtah forward Tyler Rawson started the first game of his Utes career after transferring from Salt Lake Community College. Rawson has been the second-leading scorer through the first two games and had six points, a game-high 12 rebounds and six assists Friday. Jayce Johnson moved to the bench and Krystkowiak said it wasnt a punishment, but Johnson has had some mental breakdowns in games.Im going to be mixing some stuff up, probably, throughout the course of the year, Krystkowiak said. Tylers had some good practice, thats been another factor. Starting doesnt mean much to me.UP NEXTCoppin State: The Eagles travel to play Ball State on Monday as part of 11 of 12 games on the road to start the season.Utah: The Utes continue their early, soft nonconference schedule when they host UC Riverside on Friday ' ' '