[News] NHL players will not participate in 2018 Olympics?

[timbit]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Who can tell us what the TV audience was for the gold medal game in 2010? (specifically in the US)

Also, what were the ratings for the Stanley Cup? (two large-market US teams)

27.6 Million US viewers for Van gold medal game. Most watched live hockey game ever.

In 2010.... Finals Game 6 and deciding game between Chi and PHIL. drew 8.3 million US Viewers.

[Lanny'sDaMan]

Originally Posted by Locke

Well, if it had stayed the way it was meant to stay its safe to say that they wouldnt be being held in Russia.

So, homophobic jabs aside, whatever the spirit of the Olympics was has been crushed by consumerism and corruption a long, long time ago.

Berlin, Germany. 1936.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

What's best for it's business is NBC (or whoever has the rights) showing Olympic hockey games and constantly mentioning which NHL teams the players are on.

That is, in fact, an emotional argument. And likely one that does not make up for the previously stated concerns the league has with the current Olympic arrangement.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

That is, in fact, an emotional argument. And likely one that does not make up for the previously stated concerns the league has with the current Olympic arrangement.

Hardly. The Olympics are the best free advertising the NHL could ever hope for. Not only that, it's positive advertising.

[Resolute 14]

Yes, free advertising that the NHL itself cannot take advantage of because it has no rights to show highlights of its own players.

The World Cup was also positive advertising. So is the Winter Classic. So is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

I understand there are posters who enjoy taking the other side, but these arguments are so weak that it's hardly worth debating further.

A few American owners are greedy and unable to see the big picture (that the Olympics are a great tool for building the sport). 95%~ of Fans want to see Olympic hockey. That's the bottom line.

I can't wait to start cheering for teams playing in big games, certainly bigger than any games the flames will be playing for the remaining rebuild season.

[Joborule]

I would like to see the NHL stick around for the Olympics, and also start up a World Cup of Hockey. Every two years would be a major tournament.

But if the IOC is not going to give NHL their content and some compensation for sending their players, then it's pointless for the NHL to continue on. Sure the exposure is nice, but are they generating a bunch of new fans from it? It's a risk they're taking in sending their superstar players over there, and getting little return means it's not a good investment.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I agree. The Olympic hockey tournament would return to the relative mediocrity that it was prior to 1998.

But the NHL is going to make its decision based on what is best for its own business, not on emotion.

Yup it would be even worse than pre-1998. At least back then you had the storyline of a dominant CCCP team and could anyone knock them off. Finland beating them in 1988 to win silver was a big deal (although maybe the Soviets didn't care anymore as they had clinched gold). And of course the Miracle on Ice in 1980. And also there was a Team Canada program, watching them play exhibitions and building up to go to the Olympics to face the mighty Soviets was cool too.

If we go back to non-NHLers, we wouldn't even have any storylines anymore. It would just be a bunch of guys named 'who'. Again, once you give the people a glimpse of what NHLers in the Olympics is like, you can can't go back.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by habernac

The Soviets were "amateurs". What a sham that was.

The way I remember it each country had a lot of latitude to decide amateur status. The Americans had a good thing going with their college athletic scholarships while in Canada, athletic scholarships weren't allowed.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Yup it would be even worse than pre-1998. At least back then you had the storyline of a dominant CCCP team and could anyone knock them off. Finland beating them in 1988 to win silver was a big deal (although maybe the Soviets didn't care anymore as they had clinched gold). And of course the Miracle on Ice in 1980. And also there was a Team Canada program, watching them play exhibitions and building up to go to the Olympics to face the mighty Soviets was cool too.

If we go back to non-NHLers, we wouldn't even have any storylines anymore. It would just be a bunch of guys named 'who'. Again, once you give the people a glimpse of what NHLers in the Olympics is like, you can can't go back.

You really don't believe we would see the same? Instead of the USSR it would be Russia and the KHL, and Hockey Canada would almost certainly re-instate a year long national team that would represent us in numerous tournaments and exhibition games.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

You really don't believe we would see the same? Instead of the USSR it would be Russia and the KHL, and Hockey Canada would almost certainly re-instate a year long national team that would represent us in numerous tournaments and exhibition games.

The best Russian players are in the NHL now. Russia might the favourites... but no one is going to make a movie about beating a Russia team with Ovi/Malkin/Datsyuk.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

The best Russian players are in the NHL now. Russia might the favourites... but no one is going to make a movie about beating a Russia team with Ovi/Malkin/Datsyuk.

No one is going to make a movie now either, what's your point?

[GirlySports]

CISers beating KHLers wouldn't be a miracle. The 1980 Soviet team might have been the best ever. Hybrid of the 72 and 87 teams. They stomped on the real Canadian team 7-1 in the 81 Canada Cup.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I understand there are posters who enjoy taking the other side, but these arguments are so weak that it's hardly worth debating further.

A few American owners are greedy and unable to see the big picture (that the Olympics are a great tool for building the sport). 95%~ of Fans want to see Olympic hockey. That's the bottom line.

I can't wait to start cheering for teams playing in big games, certainly bigger than any games the flames will be playing for the remaining rebuild season.

I'm not against NHLers in the Olympics. But it won't be a catastrophe if they don't go. I've enjoyed non-Olympic international hockey before. Again, the 87 Canada Cup was as exciting as any Olympics.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon In Flames

I understand there are posters who enjoy taking the other side, but these arguments are so weak that it's hardly worth debating further.

A few American owners are greedy and unable to see the big picture (that the Olympics are a great tool for building the sport). 95%~ of Fans want to see Olympic hockey. That's the bottom line.

I can't wait to start cheering for teams playing in big games, certainly bigger than any games the flames will be playing for the remaining rebuild season.

Don't kid yourself. It's not just the American owners. None of them enjoy the shutdown, the compacted schedule, the risk of injury and the lack of rights. And all of this without any compensation.

I'm with you guys on the emotional argument. I want to see them remain in the Olympics. But these desires are rooted in our fandom, and none of us are going to stop following the NHL if NHLers stop going to the Olympics. None of us are going to turn away from a World Cup either.

The NHL going to the Olympics is what is best for the Olympics, the IIHF and perhaps the sport itself. It is not, however, what is best for the NHL as a business. The IOC and IIHF, if it wants to see the league go to Pyeongchang, is going to have to negotiate something that closes that business gap enough that the league will be willing to go.

[landshark]

What happens to the Pens if Crosby suffers a career ending injury in Sochi? Do they still have to pay off that HUGE contract? They will certainly lose the services of the best player in the world. 'Greedy American' owners and the virtuous Canadian owners have a damned good reason to object - they have a lot to lose for no compensation except a some free advertising. I consider myself a 'greedy' consumer for insisting that they take the chance anyway because I want to see the games. And of course, I suffer no risk at all...

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

What a load. What is a non-professional hockey player at this point? You think they're going to fill the Olympic team with beer league players?

Now I would watch that. That would be hysterical. There would have to be beer on the bench as well. I'd love to have professional broadcasters calling a beer-league game for an Olympic gold medal.

The Olympics is more or less a sham anyways, may as well go all the way.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Locke

Now I would watch that. That would be hysterical. There would have to be beer on the bench as well. I'd love to have professional broadcasters calling a beer-league game for an Olympic gold medal.



The Olympics is more or less a sham anyways, may as well go all the way.

Expand.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by landshark

What happens to the Pens if Crosby suffers a career ending injury in Sochi? Do they still have to pay off that HUGE contract? They will certainly lose the services of the best player in the world. 'Greedy American' owners and the virtuous Canadian owners have a damned good reason to object - they have a lot to lose for no compensation except a some free advertising. I consider myself a 'greedy' consumer for insisting that they take the chance anyway because I want to see the games. And of course, I suffer no risk at all...

The contracts are all covered by insurance. The premiums, however, are so high that the Canadian team's summer evaluation camp didn't even involve on-ice practices.

[Bandwagon In Flames]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Don't kid yourself. It's not just the American owners. None of them enjoy the shutdown, the compacted schedule, the risk of injury and the lack of rights. And all of this without any compensation.

I'm with you guys on the emotional argument. I want to see them remain in the Olympics. But these desires are rooted in our fandom, and none of us are going to stop following the NHL if NHLers stop going to the Olympics. None of us are going to turn away from a World Cup either.

The NHL going to the Olympics is what is best for the Olympics, the IIHF and perhaps the sport itself. It is not, however, what is best for the NHL as a business. The IOC and IIHF, if it wants to see the league go to Pyeongchang, is going to have to negotiate something that closes that business gap enough that the league will be willing to go.

Can you please explain how the Olympics can be the best thing for the sport, but not the NHL? Bettman does everything in his power to have expansion teams in the US to build the popularity amongst markets that currently don't have regular hockey coverage. The Olympics is doing that for free.

If the sport of hockey grows than of course the best league in hockey will grow. These owners will just be dead by the time that happens and would rather get paid for the next two weeks.