Fetch Posted May 4, 2016 Posted May 4, 2016 MAY 4, 2016 AT 12:10 PM There appears to be a real chance that the best players in the world will not be taking part in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. The head of ice hockey's international body says there is a 60 percent chance that the NHL will decline to go to the Olympics because of a lack of money to cover player insurance and travel. The International Olympic Committee has canceled its contribution to player travel and insurance costs, leaving a $10 million shortfall. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the league cannot cover the costs. WELL THIS SUCKS Quote
NoiseInsideMyHead Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 I've been reading a handful of news items on this issue lately, and I'm confused. The media angle seems to suggest that it's the NHL's decision whether or not to "go", but it's not the League that "goes," it's the individual players. Why isn't this just as simple as scheduling a regular NHL season and letting individual players negotiate (or not) releases from their respective teams? I am sure that several of the players would be willing -- in the name of pride and country -- not only to take a financial hit vis-a-vis compensation, but also to self-fund the travel and insurance premiums (with obvious assistance from their respective countries' olympic committees/sponsors/slush funds). Do NHLPA standard contracts not allow for temporary, voluntary leave? Is it a matter of the NHLPA being in the best position to negotiate a favorable leave agreement for all of the Olympians? The teams have minor-league affiliates for a reason, so I would not accept the argument that it would create a personnel shortage. (Anybody recall the usual impact on a roster -- 1-3 guys per team, maybe?) Some fans may be tempted to stay home to watch their Olympian superstars on TV rather than go to the local NHL rink, but given the time zones I doubt there would be much of a problem. I get that the arena scheduling could be complicated by not knowing in advance if the NHL will take a break, but I'm still not clear why this is a LEAGUE decision. The NHL comes off sounding arrogant, especially when they are willing to take a dump on 2018 but repeatedly state that 2022 is still on the table. So it cannot be the principle of participation that bothers them. Who here has a good read on this? Quote
cberkas Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The NHL could move All-Star week to when the Olympics are going on and bring up their stockpile of AHL players for the rest of the time. NBC is going to show the Olympics on their channels and not NHL games and Bettman doesn't get it. The NHL and hockey benefit with increased interest and kids picking up the sport when the U.S. wins the gold. I can't wait for the day Bettman is finally gone. 1 Quote
siouxforcefans Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 I think a big part of the hang up is the league wanting to make sure there are a) no injuries and b) no dilution. Injuries; Tavares missed the rest of the season after being injured in the last Olympics. A big name like that is a big deal to the NHL - imagine if it were Crosby or Kane. Some sports contracts have been known to include language prohibiting "dangerous activities" like motorcycles or skydiving. I wouldn't be surprised if there weren't limits to unsanctioned hockey activity during the season for some of these guys. :shrug: On the dilution point; it was mentioned above 1 - 3 players per team being gone, but it's not that simple. Look at a top team, and how many players will really be gone. Now think about trying to get fans to pay to watch that team without those players play against some other team without their top guys. The mediocre (at the time) MN Wild had 5 guys play in 2014. How about a game of Chicago without Toews, Kane, and whoever vs. the Caps without Oshie, Ovechkin, and whoever else? Yeah, not worth that $120/seat now, is it? I'm not arguing they shouldn't play, but the league definitely has a vested interest in whether or not they do. Quote
Yote 53 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Sorry, I am on the opposite side of this than many of you, this is not on the NHL, they are not the bad guys here. The IOC is a crooked organization that rakes in billions, with a B, and they cancel their contribution of a mere $10 million to provide for travel costs and insurances? I actually side with the NHL on this subject. They are being asked to shut down their league for two weeks, their buildings to sit empty, and their star players put at risk of injury. Lose-lose-lose propositions. What do they get out of it? Grow the game? I'd like to see the best in the world play, but I think the IOC and IIHF need to put up more to get the NHL players to the Olympics. The Winter Olympics primary sports are figure skating and ice hockey. This isn't some obscure sport we're talking about here. It's a main driver of revenue for the IOC. It wouldn't bother me one bit if they turned the Olympics into a U20 tournament. I'd still watch. 1 Quote
siouxfan512 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Not sure why people want the NHL players so bad. Don't any of you believe in Miracles? 4 Quote
cberkas Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 The NHL doesn't have to shut down for the Olympics, these team can bring up their top AHL talent to get them some ice time in the NHL. Skiing is more of a primary sport then hockey at the Olympics. If players being injured is a deterrent then what happen if Crosby, Kane, Towes, etc... are injured in the NHL and out for the year. These players are going to play for their country if the NHL wants them to or not. The Penguins don't even know what their top players are going to do when the Olympics come in 2018. Quote
fightingsioux4life Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Why not use AHL players for the Olympics? I think they will take the event more seriously than the highly-paid NHL players who might be tempted to think of the Olympics as a sort of "working vacation". Quote
cberkas Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 7 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said: Why not use AHL players for the Olympics? I think they will take the event more seriously than the highly-paid NHL players who might be tempted to think of the Olympics as a sort of "working vacation". You know Russia will use KHL players and Ovi has made it clear he will play in the Olympics. Quote
darell1976 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 34 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said: Why not use AHL players for the Olympics? I think they will take the event more seriously than the highly-paid NHL players who might be tempted to think of the Olympics as a sort of "working vacation". I miss the day the Olympics was a bunch of amateurs not dream teams. 1 Quote
siouxfan512 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Would have though this kind of thing would have been determined when they negotiated the CBA. Quote
Yote 53 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 1 hour ago, cberkas said: The NHL doesn't have to shut down for the Olympics, these team can bring up their top AHL talent to get them some ice time in the NHL. Skiing is more of a primary sport then hockey at the Olympics. If players being injured is a deterrent then what happen if Crosby, Kane, Towes, etc... are injured in the NHL and out for the year. These players are going to play for their country if the NHL wants them to or not. The Penguins don't even know what their top players are going to do when the Olympics come in 2018. Yeah, because the Blackhawks, for example, are going to be happy to play a regular season game for playoff points with Toews, Kane, Keith, Hossa, Hjalmarsson, Panarin, Anisomov, etc, etc. out of the lineup because they are playing in the Olympics. Last Olympics the Blackhawks had 10 players from their roster in the Games. I used the Hawks as an example but they wouldn't be the only team in this position. Bring up AHL guys to fill in, right, with some teams that would be half the roster. This isn't going to happen. Quote
cberkas Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 27 minutes ago, Yote 53 said: Yeah, because the Blackhawks, for example, are going to be happy to play a regular season game for playoff points with Toews, Kane, Keith, Hossa, Hjalmarsson, Panarin, Anisomov, etc, etc. out of the lineup because they are playing in the Olympics. Last Olympics the Blackhawks had 10 players from their roster in the Games. I used the Hawks as an example but they wouldn't be the only team in this position. Bring up AHL guys to fill in, right, with some teams that would be half the roster. This isn't going to happen. Move the All-Star week to when players are gone for the Olympics. And two weeks with AHL players. Quote
Smoggy Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Hockey not having pros affects every nation except probably Canada. Imagine if basketball was played in winter like it truly is in every league. They'd have same issue except USA would not be as affected. So Olympics needs to move hockey to summer or the battle of injuries and NHL playoffs will always be a much bigger issue. Olympics is great, but hasn't translated to the returns that NHL needs. I want all the best players to be in the Olympics. It only happens every 4 years. Heck reduce the season schedule by 2 - 4 games to make it work and get some money concessions from players. If it's that important to players they can take a pay cut. Quote
Siouxperfan7 Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 If the NHL players don't play in the Olympics, wouldn't that mean the AHL players wouldn't either? Quote
Rebel_Sioux Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 On Thursday, March 09, 2017 at 10:54 AM, Yote 53 said: On Thursday, March 09, 2017 at 11:19 AM, cberkas said: Skiing is more of a primary sport then hockey at the Olympics. I'd like to see the best in the world play, but I think the IOC and IIHF need to put up more to get the NHL players to the Olympics. The Winter Olympics primary sports are figure skating and ice hockey. This isn't some obscure sport we're talking about here. It's a main driver of revenue for the IOC. I suppose the phrase "primary sport" depends on which country you're asking. Quote
Rebel_Sioux Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 In general I support not having pros in the Olympics. The same is already true in most other Olympic sports. I just wish they made it policy across the board. That being said my guess is that the NHL will allow players to go if they forfeit part of their salary. Could be a steep price for some of the athletes depending on how much, if anything, their nation pays them. Quote
cberkas Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 3 hours ago, Ray77 said: NHL will not participate in 2018 Olympics After reading it, with the NHLPA not saying anything tells me the players are going to go without the NHL's approval or a lockout is coming. Quote The IOC (International Olympic Committee) had been paying for the League's participation costs associated with travel, insurance and accommodations for the players and their guests, but told the NHL it will not continue to pay for those costs for the 2018 tournament. International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel indicated his federation had the money to cover those costs, but Commissioner Bettman said there was concern the funds would come from assets that would otherwise be used to grow the game at the grassroots level. If Bettman was worried about money for the "grassroots" level of hockey then he should have said something to USA Hockey paying the women's team $70,000 per player. For what I gather the NHL subsidizes USA Hockey. It also sound like the NHL would go to the 2022 games in China. They have been sending players there to help grow the game there and have a game scheduled there next season. If the stoppage is such a big deal teams can bring up layers out of the AHL that they bring up in March. The stoppage would also be good for teams that are in the hunt for the playoffs to get players healthy and rest up players for the stretch run into the playoff. There are teams resting players in March, 17 days in February helps even more. If the US wasn't so worried about getting the Summer Olympics they could have gotten the 2018 Winter Olympics and were begged by the IOC to bid on the 2022 Winter Olympics even being told they would get the games. This whole NHL issue wouldn't be a big deal. If teams find a way to stop players from going I suspect the USA and Canada to use their WJC teams. 1 Quote
cberkas Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 36 minutes ago, Rebel_Sioux said: In general I support not having pros in the Olympics. The same is already true in most other Olympic sports. I just wish they made it policy across the board. That being said my guess is that the NHL will allow players to go if they forfeit part of their salary. Could be a steep price for some of the athletes depending on how much, if anything, their nation pays them. There is very little non-pros in the Olympics. Quote
cberkas Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 NHLPA released a statement on the NHL decision. It's on Twitter and their website is having issues. Quote
82SiouxGuy Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 38 minutes ago, cberkas said: After reading it, with the NHLPA not saying anything tells me the players are going to go without the NHL's approval or a lockout is coming. If Bettman was worried about money for the "grassroots" level of hockey then he should have said something to USA Hockey paying the women's team $70,000 per player. For what I gather the NHL subsidizes USA Hockey. It also sound like the NHL would go to the 2020 games in China. They have been sending players there to help grow the game there and have a game scheduled there next season. If the stoppage is such a big deal teams can bring up layers out of the AHL that they bring up in March. The stoppage would also be good for teams that are in the hunt for the playoffs to get players healthy and rest up players for the stretch run into the playoff. There are teams resting players in March, 17 days in February helps even more. If the US wasn't so worried about getting the Summer Olympics they could have gotten the 2018 Winter Olympics and were begged by the IOC to bid on the 2020 Winter Olympics even being told they would get the games. This whole NHL issue wouldn't be a big deal. If teams find a way to stop players from going I suspect the USA and Canada to use their WJC teams. There aren't any 2020 Winter Olympics. Winter Olympics will be held in 2018, 2022, and 2026. Summer Olympics will be held in 2020, 2024, and 2028. Quote
cberkas Posted April 4, 2017 Posted April 4, 2017 36 minutes ago, 82SiouxGuy said: There aren't any 2020 Winter Olympics. Winter Olympics will be held in 2018, 2022, and 2026. Summer Olympics will be held in 2020, 2024, and 2028. I keep hearing 2020 so I thought it was the China ones. Quote
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