Behind closed doors China may end up being the real arbiter here. We know the NHL wants to drive its business in China with the first exhibition games in Sept/Oct 2017 in Shanghai and Beijing. But the real carrot is broadcasting revenue and rights initially, and maybe some form of franchise expansion down the road.
If there is a connection between NHL participation in the Pyongyang Winter Olympics in 2018 and the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, you can bet that Chinese officials will be implementing some back door diplomacy with the NHL and with the IOC.
The case for NHL participation in the 2018 Olympics may be far from closed.
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