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[ZeroGravity]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl-will-not-participate-2018-pyeongchang-olympic-games/

The NHL will not participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, deciding to make the announcement now so it doesn’t overshadow the playoffs, Sportsnet has learned.

NHLers first went to the Games in 1998 in Nagano, and continued to do so through Sochi 2014. But negotiations toughened following Turin in 2006. One week after those games, late Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider publicly said he didn’t see the value in attending overseas Olympics, since the time difference kept hockey off North American television in prime hours. The NHL is the only major sports league that stops for the Olympics.

That was not a problem in Vancouver for 2010, but there were intense discussions prior to Sochi. The NHL scored a victory when the International Olympic Committee agreed to pay the players’ insurance and travel costs, at a cost of approximately $14 million. That was a huge concession, but the IOC refused to extend that olive branch a second time.

Last fall, IIHF president Rene Fasel announced his organization would step up in the IOC’s place, but the NHL balked. The league didn’t want money earmarked for developing the game worldwide to be used for this. And, even more importantly, the NHL and many of its owners wanted the money to come from the IOC directly. After all, the Olympics are making money off hockey and the NHL felt very strongly the organization should pay.

As John Shannon reported last month, the NHL tried to negotiate some financial compromise. It asked for the IOC to “buy” a home date or two from each team. Failing that, the league wanted to be named an official Olympic supplier or sponsor, so it could attach and use the world-famous “rings” to its own brand.

That was also rejected.

NHL Statement:

 

[fat pat]

The NHL is so shortsighted and dumb.

They're ruining one of the most exciting parts of the Winter Olympics and one of the things that can grow the game the most.

I never can overestimate the NHL's ability to shit all over themselves.

 

[mdubs]

IOC so dumb for not playing ball. They can't expect the NHL to shoulder the costs especially in a year when the time zone difference is so bad and not in a hockey market.

 

[Zombie James]

I'm thrilled. Taking two weeks off mid-season is bad enough, risking your team's best players to potential injuries in the middle of a playoff push is worse.

 

[Glix]

The NHL is so shortsighted and dumb.

They're ruining one of the most exciting parts of the Winter Olympics and one of the things that can grow the game the most.

I never can overestimate the NHL's ability to shit all over themselves.

I strongly disagree.

 

[DopeyFish]

IOC so dumb for not playing ball. They can't expect the NHL to shoulder the costs especially in a year when the time zone difference is so bad and not in a hockey market.

IIHF has agreed to pay for the players, though.

NHL is being dumb for petty reasons

 

[NYR]

Dang, didn't see your thread and posted this, apologies.

 

[Lebon14]

Looks like my brother will be angry AF. Fuck Bettman (excuse the spelling though).

 

[Samyy]

Hope the IOC turns around and forbids them from going to China

 

[Button]

As a Finn, I welcome these news.

 

[Nyoro SF]

Kinda conflicted... I always enjoy watching star players play against one another at the Olympics. But the NHL has the right to financially protect itself.

 

[mdubs]

I'm thrilled. Taking two weeks off mid-season is bad enough, risking your team's best players to potential injuries in the middle of a playoff push is worse.

I feel for all the Islanders fans when they lost Tavares.

IIHF has agreed to pay for the players, though.

NHL is being dumb for petty reasons

Financial cost of stopping the season and injury risk to players is still there though even though insurance is paid for. IOC ain't sharing any of that advertising revenue with the NHL to make up for that. Weird that people expect the NHL to be the self-sacrificing ones when the IOC keeps all of the revenue for themselves.

 

[Lothars]

IIHF has agreed to pay for the players, though.

NHL is being dumb for petty reasons

I am with the NHL on this, It's on the IOC to be paying for this not the IIHF. So if the IOC decided to pay than great but until than I don;'t think the NHL is doing anything wrong.

 

[Chris R]

Good.

Keep the pro players out of the Olympics.

 

[Diprosalic]

garbage.

(to be clear they should get paid)

 

[Dr.Acula]

The Olympics are huge -but the Winter Olympics? The lack of a marquee hockey tournament running throughout the games probably hurts them more than it hurts the NHL.

I do remember hearing some Russian players saying for Sochi that if the NHL wasn't going to allow participation they'd skip out and play in Sochi anyway.

Obviously national pride was a big factor, but remember that Russia has a rich hockey tradition, and they haven't won in a really long time. The only other country that cares as much about Olympic hockey is Canada, and Canada has won gold in three of the last four games, so all the Canadian superstars are loaded down with hardware and are focused on chasing Stanley Cups.

 

[flkraven]

I'm guessing the other major hockey leagues will still send players, so I'm guessing Russia/Sweden final?

 

[DopeyFish]

It probably would be better to go amateur anyways. Look at what the WJC turned into.

Went from a nothing event to a mega event in a lot of countries.

 

[Juicy Bob]

As someone who always enjoys ice hockey the most of the Winter Olympic sports but doesn't follow the NHL, this is really disappointing.

 

[clemenx]

Most NHL fans seem to be happy for this but as someone who's more of a fringe hockey fan who loves watching the playoffs only this sucks.

 

[ScatheZombie]

The lack of NHL talent just makes the Olympics more competitive for every other country not named Canada or USA.

 

[Silexx]

The lack of NHL talent just makes the Olympics more competitive for every other country not named Canada or USA.

lol ok

Sweden is going to be hurt more by this than the US is.

 

[DopeyFish]

Most NHL fans seem to be happy for this but as someone who's more of a fringe hockey fan who loves watching the playoffs only this sucks.

It's probably best for the sport, though.

Teams from other countries now have a better chance to medal and helps growth of the game. Though some players like ovechkin are likely to go to olympics as has been his stance since the beginning of time, canada/US/Russia/Sweden won't have an all-star team and will give all those underdeveloped hockey programs a fighting chance to succeed.

 

[KillerMan91]

The Olympics are huge -but the Winter Olympics? The lack of a marquee hockey tournament running throughout the games probably hurts them more than it hurts the NHL.

I do remember hearing some Russian players saying for Sochi that if the NHL wasn't going to allow participation they'd skip out and play in Sochi anyway.

Obviously national pride was a big factor, but remember that Russia has a rich hockey tradition, and they haven't won in a really long time. The only other country that cares as much about Olympic hockey is Canada, and Canada has won gold in three of the last four games, so all the Canadian superstars are loaded down with hardware and are focused on chasing Stanley Cups.

Every European nation that is decent at hockey cares about olympics a lot. They care about even world championships gold that doesn't interest north americans at all. It's not NHL that made hockey popular in countries like Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech etc. It was succeeding in international tournaments.

 

[Silexx]

It's probably best for the sport, though.

Teams from other countries now have a better chance to medal and helps growth of the game. Though some players like ovechkin are likely to go to olympics as has been his stance since the beginning of time, canada/US/Russia/Sweden won't have an all-star team and will give all those underdeveloped hockey programs a fighting chance to succeed.

This is assuming they don't change the format as a result of this. Whose to say that they don't decide to host that year's World Junior Championship tourney at the Olympics?

 

[Azuran]

Good

Fuck the IOC and fuck the Olympics.

 

[Lovely Salsa]

Nhl is a joke

Play a few minutes, show 1 minute ad, repeat.

Yuck

Better watching SHL.

 

[btrboyev]

Good. Keep Pro leagues out of the Olympics. That's the way it should be.

 

[GSG Flash]

This is on the IOC. As disappointed I am with this decision, the NHL's argument is logically sound.

IIHF has agreed to pay for the players, though.

NHL is being dumb for petty reasons

The NHL doesn't want any outside hockey money going into this. They believe that the IOC is profiting off NHL players, so they should be the ones footing the bills.

 

[OriginofHysteria]

The one time the NHL can get Americans to care about hockey, and they decide to pull. What a joke.

 

[DonShula]

Most NHL fans seem to be happy for this but as someone who's more of a fringe hockey fan who loves watching the playoffs only this sucks.

Yeah this is not going to dent the Olympics though. Olympics fans aren't going to miss pro players in the hockey games. They just won't watch hockey.

With the time zones so far apart, I bet most Olympics viewers won't even notice. It was kind of a big deal in Vancouver, but with the games not airing live in prime time in 2018, I don't think the typical Olympics viewer is going to care.

This might be a rare win-win. NHL doesn't have to spend money to disrupt their season, and Olympics viewers will just watch something else. The slice of people that will care is probably pretty small (albeit well represented in this thread).

 

[Matrix XII]

That is really discouraging. There's nothing better than Best on best international hockey.

 

[mdubs]

Nhl is a joke

Play a few minutes, show 1 minute ad, repeat.

Yuck

Better watching SHL.

Well, not only is your statement not accurate (there are three minutes of commericals per NHL period, so you are watching commericals (assuming you don't watch intermissions) 9 minutes for every 60 minutes of gameplay), but what does this have to do with the Olympics?

 

[Dunlop]

I'm happy with this decision, let other people get their shot which in the end could be a springboard to the NHL for them.

 

[RC]

At least we still have the World Cup if we want to see a best on best tournament right?



Fix the damn World Cup next time around Bettman.

 

[RevoDS]

That statement is obvious posturing and clearly aimed at the NHLPA, IIHF and IOC, not at the public. It's carefully crafted, but it's not PR. It's negotiation.

I don't think it's as over as they say.

 

[DopeyFish]

Nhl is a joke

Play a few minutes, show 1 minute ad, repeat.

Yuck

Better watching SHL.

There's 9 ad breaks a game excluding intermissions (17 minutes season, 15 minutes post season) which take place every 5 minutes of game time. Sometimes they end too close to each other.

It's not too bad, though i wish it was just 2 a period.

Playoffs OT is glorious because there's no ad breaks during that time and you get into the game.

 

[Matrix XII]

At least we still have the World Cup if we want to see a best on best tournament right?



Fix the damn World Cup next time around Bettman.

The World Cup was horrendous.

Doesn't hold a candle to the Olympics and never will.

 

[Blue Lou]

As a neutral who only watches the Ice Hockey at the Winter Olympics, I find it a shame.

 

[GSG Flash]

The one time the NHL can get Americans to care about hockey, and they decide to pull. What a joke.

Americans who don't follow hockey aren't going to care enough to wake up in the middle of the night or early morning to watch a game.

 

[bonesmccoy]

Eh, not a big loss.

And they'll be back for '22 like none of this ever happened.

edit: The hockey will still be really good and the tournament will be more competitive.

 

[Blader]

That takes a lot of excitement out of the games for me. The Vancouver tournament in 2010 is one of my favorite Olympics memories (well, except the ending, which is one of my worst).

 

[kswiston]

I'm guessing the other major hockey leagues will still send players, so I'm guessing Russia/Sweden final?

I was going to say the same thing. I'm sure Russia and the KHL are thrilled by this news.

 

[Drazgul]

All the players should just go anyway.

 

[Lovely Salsa]

Well, not only is your statement not accurate (there are three minutes of commericals per NHL period, so you are watching commericals (assuming you don't watch intermissions) 9 minutes for every 60 minutes of gameplay), but what does this have to do with the Olympics?

That they wont send their players to the olympics? I can tell you the swedish NHLers are pissed at this decision

Olympics is the closest thing to football WC for hockey

 

[Zombie James]

The one time the NHL can get Americans to care about hockey, and they decide to pull. What a joke.

The joke is the idea that the league needs to grind their season to a halt for two weeks every four years to promote the game. The US has 23 NHL teams playing 82 games each per year + playoffs that extend into June + pre-season exhibition games outside those markets. If the only time you care about hockey is during the Olympics, that's not the NHL's fault or problem. It just means you like bandwagon-hopping sports events.

 

[Bustanen]

Lame. The yearly World Championships are already fucking boring, who the hell wants to watch the same shit teams play twice between a couple of months?

 

[Perfect Blue]

At least we still have the World Cup if we want to see a best on best tournament right?

No lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Champions_League

The WC is just pageantry.

 

[Yawnier]

Americans who don't follow hockey aren't going to care enough to wake up in the middle of the night or early morning to watch a game.

Yeah the timezones for most North American viewers for the next 2 winter olympics are gonna be brutal.

Personally I've never cared for Olympic hockey that much so whatever. In terms of international hockey the WJC is more exciting most years anyways.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Maybe FIFA and North Korea are more corrupt than the IOC so fuck them.