NHL announces non participation in 2018 Olympics

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

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The NHL announced Monday that it will not participate in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, ending a run of five consecutive Winter Olympics with NHL players.

"We have previously made clear that while the overwhelming majority of our clubs are adamantly opposed to disrupting the 2017-18 NHL season for purposes of accommodating Olympic participation by some NHL players, we were open to hearing from any of the other parties who might have an interest in the issue (e.g., the IOC, the IIHF, the NHLPA, etc.) as to reasons the Board of Governors might be interested in re-evaluating their strongly held views on the subject," the NHL said in a statement. 

 

 

What a shame this is. Short sighted IMO. The NHL I'd going to China this year. Clearly they want to target 2022 and a huge market. 

So yeah let's not go the games before, an miss out on a global audience of 2.1 billion people. 

Edited April 3, 2017 by Chimaira_Devil_#9

[DevsMan84]

I am fine with this quite frankly.

[NJDevils1214]

I'm also okay with it. I haven't been alive long enough to remember amateur athletes competing in Olympic hockey, but I'd rather it had just stayed that way. This is good for both sides, and I honestly hope they just stick to it. I really hate when these kinds of decisions constantly "flip/flop".

[Antiquated Colorado Rockie]

My preference is to see the best at the Olympics. I assume that they will continue with World cups so that sort of makes up for it though I hope they go back to just straight national teams and stay away from gimmick teams which hurts the integrity of the event imo.

[MadDog2020]

Now you'll have lone wolves like Ovechkin and Karlsson battling their teams to participate. That should be fun. [emoji52]


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[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Just now, MadDog2020 said:

Now you'll have lone wolves like Ovechkin and Karlsson battling their teams to participate. That should be fun.


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Malkin as well. 

[Rock]

I wonder how the US and Canada will select players.  I don't think they will go back to the Herb Brooks route of the players selected doing a 4 month tour to whittle it down to the final 20 players.

[MadDog2020]

Malkin as well. 

Pretty much all the Russian stars- those dudes are gonna go no matter what, and there isn't a lot their teams can do about it (besides not paying them for the time they miss, and I don't even know how that would work with the PA and the CBA).

 

 

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[NJDevs4978]

16 minutes ago, NJDevils1214 said:

I'm also okay with it. I haven't been alive long enough to remember amateur athletes competing in Olympic hockey, but I'd rather it had just stayed that way. This is good for both sides, and I honestly hope they just stick to it. I really hate when these kinds of decisions constantly "flip/flop".

It was never truly that way, at least not in the communist bloc era when the Russians and Czechs (among others) were amateurs in name only.  The US/Canada sure, but that's why the US/Canada never won squat other than the US's two surprise wins in 1960 and 1980.

[NJDevs4978]

Just now, MadDog2020 said:

Pretty much all the Russian stars- those dudes are gonna go no matter what, and there isn't a lot their teams can do about it (besides not paying them for the time they miss, and I don't even know how that would work with the CBA).


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You wonder if someone like Radulov goes back to the KHL AGAIN this year or other Russian FA's.  Of course he could be missing his shot at a big payday if he flakes one more time.

[Devils Dose]

Do the owners have no concerns about their business relationship with NBC (the Olympic broadcaster)?

[Lateralous]

This is about as shortsighted as deciding to play 6 stadium series games per year.  

[Daniel]

Call me unpatriotic, but I really only cared about Team USA and the Olympics when  you had Devils playing for Team USA.  Barring any sort of out of nowhere trade, maybe only Cory would have gone, and probably wouldn't have started.  

And if this decision stands, I bet the Russians don't end up going.  I think even they realize that there's not much upside to playing against a bunch of non-NHLers from USA, Sweden and Canada, and you might look even worse if there's another upset.  

[jagknife]

Ovechkin already has the approval from the Caps ownership to go to the Olympics, according to TSN.

3 hours ago, Rock said:

I wonder how the US and Canada will select players.  I don't think they will go back to the Herb Brooks route of the players selected doing a 4 month tour to whittle it down to the final 20 players.

Scout the colleges like crazy, grab the handful playing in Canada, profit(?)

[titans04]

They'll end up with a handful of American's that are playing overseas that's my bet.  Honestly don't care all that much either way but I certainly agree it's very shortsighted and also wonder if it impacts the relationship with NBC in any way.  Seems to just smell like even more greed from the majority of the NHL owners.

Edited April 4, 2017 by titans04

[Chuck the Duck]

The Russian team is going to roll everyone else in this tournament with their pros playing against a bunch of college kids and washed up players.  It's going to be a retro Olympics, turning back the clock 40+ years.  

I don't like Bettman, but I think he's actually right on this one.  The league should have the insurance and travel for their player paid for by the IOC.  And try also should be treated like a partner and be able to advertise their players being a part of the Olympic experience like Coca Cola does.  The NHL gives up a lot and shuts down its league for this, while getting little out of it in direct benefit.  Not surprised they told the IOC to take a hike.  However, I wonder if the IOC toys with the NHL and forces them to pay their way to be a part of the Beijing Olympics which the league will be desperate to be a part of.  

[titans04]

35 minutes ago, Chuck the Duck said:

The Russian team is going to roll everyone else in this tournament with their pros playing against a bunch of college kids and washed up players.  It's going to be a retro Olympics, turning back the clock 40+ years.  

I don't like Bettman, but I think he's actually right on this one.  The league should have the insurance and travel for their player paid for by the IOC.  And try also should be treated like a partner and be able to advertise their players being a part of the Olympic experience like Coca Cola does.  The NHL gives up a lot and shuts down its league for this, while getting little out of it in direct benefit.  Not surprised they told the IOC to take a hike.  However, I wonder if the IOC toys with the NHL and forces them to pay their way to be a part of the Beijing Olympics which the league will be desperate to be a part of.  

So I thought I heard on NHL channel on Sirius that one Bettman's first asks was for the insurance and travel be paid for.  Then once that was funded he didn't like where the money was coming from (he felt it would harm the grassroots of US hockey).  Essentially what they were saying was he kept moving the goal posts.  There also seemed to be some "experts" that still think there's a  chance it's really not a done deal yet in spite of the announcement.  Certainly will be interesting for a team like the Caps who already said Ovechkin could go regardless, does he allow others to go as well?  Where does he draw the line at who can and who can't go? 

Definitely two sides to it they miss a huge opportunity to promote the game yet if I'm an owner and one of my best players goes down with an injury I'd be pissed. 

 

NHLPA statement on NHL's 2018 Olympic Winter Games decision:

 

Edited April 4, 2017 by titans04

[Triumph]

4 minutes ago, titans04 said:

So I thought I heard on NHL channel on Sirius that one Bettman's first asks was for the insurance and travel be paid for.  Then once that was funded he didn't like where the money was coming from (he felt it would harm the grassroots of US hockey).  Essentially what they were saying was he kept moving the goal posts.  There also seemed to be some "experts" that still think there's a  chance it's really not a done deal yet in spite of the announcement.  Certainly will be interesting for a team like the Caps who already said Ovechkin could go regardless, does he allow others to go as well?  Where does he draw the line at who can and who can't go? 

Definitely two sides to it they miss a huge opportunity to promote the game yet if I'm an owner and one of my best players goes down with an injury I'd be pissed. 

Bettman asked the IOC to cover it, and instead the IIHF offered to cover it.  The IIHF should not be covering those costs; the Olympics should be.   

I'm not a fan of the Olympics or the owners, but I also don't think the NHL is passing up on some enormous attempt to 'grow the game'.  There will still be some great hockey played in South Korea whether or not the NHL goes.  The games wouldn't be on TV at any reasonable time here in the US and the IOC refused to move the time of them to accomodate North America.  Plus February is the NHL's best time during the year because there's no sports opposite it besides basketball.

So sure, it's a battle between the billionaire rent-seekers of the NHL and the corrupt and thieving fatcats of the IOC.  Ideally you'd get both in a room and they'd never come out.  

 

[titans04]

1 minute ago, Triumph said:

Bettman asked the IOC to cover it, and instead the IIHF offered to cover it.  The IIHF should not be covering those costs; the Olympics should be.   

I'm not a fan of the Olympics or the owners, but I also don't think the NHL is passing up on some enormous attempt to 'grow the game'.  There will still be some great hockey played in South Korea whether or not the NHL goes.  The games wouldn't be on TV at any reasonable time here in the US and the IOC refused to move the time of them to accomodate North America.  Plus February is the NHL's best time during the year because there's no sports opposite it besides basketball.

So sure, it's a battle between the billionaire rent-seekers of the NHL and the corrupt and thieving fatcats of the IOC.  Ideally you'd get both in a room and they'd never come out.  

 

Thanks for clarifying the IOC/IIHF issue. One thing regarding the time difference, then why is Bettman appear to be obsessed with China?

[Triumph]

4 minutes ago, titans04 said:

Thanks for clarifying the IOC/IIHF issue. One thing regarding the time difference, then why is Bettman appear to be obsessed with China?

The NBA has exploded in China and the NHL has done squat.  The Olympics are the best shot to get some eyeballs on the game in China - the KHL expanded to China this year but their team drew nothing.  

EDIT:  Actually, the KHL team drew nothing in Shanghai, but there was lots of interest in Beijing.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Triumph

[Daniel]

11 minutes ago, Triumph said:

 

So sure, it's a battle between the billionaire rent-seekers of the NHL and the corrupt and thieving fatcats of the IOC.  Ideally you'd get both in a room and they'd never come out.  

 

I'll take the NHL owners any day over the IOC.  At their worst, NHL owners will extort an arena out of a city, but usually, at least some of it is private money, and the arena has a useful lifespan of at least 25 to 30 years.  Plus, the NHL owners put out a product that I enjoy watching, and a lot of them don't make any money on their teams.

The IOC is a plague of locusts that will overwhelm a city's finances, and enrich only the seediest of operators.  I've never given money to a politician before, but I might throw a few bucks at anyone running for Congress or President that proposes to ban the Olympics from being held on American soil again.

Another reason why I don't want NHL players at the Olympics.  Do something like the Canada Cup or the current World Championships.  It's the same thing, just without all the corruption.

[titans04]

4 minutes ago, Daniel said:

I'll take the NHL owners any day over the IOC.  At their worst, NHL owners will extort an arena out of a city, but usually, at least some of it is private money, and the arena has a useful lifespan of at least 25 to 30 years.  Plus, the NHL owners put out a product that I enjoy watching, and a lot of them don't make any money on their teams.

The IOC is a plague of locusts that will overwhelm a city's finances, and enrich only the seediest of operators.  I've never given money to a politician before, but I might throw a few bucks at anyone running for Congress or President that proposes to ban the Olympics from being held on American soil again.

Another reason why I don't want NHL players at the Olympics.  Do something like the Canada Cup or the current World Championships.  It's the same thing, just without all the corruption.

agreed but nobody is forcing the US cities to bid in the first place, sometimes you can't help those who insist on shooting themselves in the foot in most cases.

[Daniel]

14 minutes ago, titans04 said:

agreed but nobody is forcing the US cities to bid in the first place, sometimes you can't help those who insist on shooting themselves in the foot in most cases.

And hence my belief in a federal law that will save cities from themselves. 

I remember when Bloomberg wanted New York to host the Olympics.  Was one of the best and most effective public protests in defeating that disastrous bit of megalomania. 

[Derek21]

10 hours ago, Rock said:

I wonder how the US and Canada will select players.  I don't think they will go back to the Herb Brooks route of the players selected doing a 4 month tour to whittle it down to the final 20 players.

Probably the old route. Juniors and college hockey like the old days. I don't mind it. But I also can see why the NHLPA is so opposed. They see the Olympics as a marquee event that's played on an international stage which can attract fans from other countries including host South Korea. I knew they wouldn't approve it. The players aren't wrong. From a marketing standpoint, it makes sense. I'm a bit selfish in wanting to see what a USA team with Eichel, Matthews, Miller, Tkachuk, Werenski could do along with Gaudreau. Seth Jones, Skjei, Gibson. Same for Canada with McDavid, Drouin, MacKinnon, Marner, Rielly, etc. I guess we'l never know. 

If this really is the end, then just go back to amateurs. 

[vadvlfan]

Why couldn't they poach AHL/ECHL players? Should be able to glean enough quality American/Canadian teams. Or, as long as players are under contract to an NHL team, regardless of contract. They can't go? 

If they go old school route, fine by me. Other counties won't however.. Players will come from the pro's.