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

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by craigwd

No, before all else, the Olympic Games are about sport.

Where did John Montgomery, Felix Loch etc. make money beyond results and sponsorships? In amateur sport you only get paid based on where you finish. You get paid no matter what in the NHL.

When you need to take 2 jobs to sustain your life as an athlete - you're an amateur.

Felix loch does not have another job. He makes his money off sponsors and wins. He is the top of his sport . Not only that he is the top of his sport and Germany's number one top sport. He still gets a paycheck no matter what.Just like a professional Mountain biker in the North America . Montgomery was the same when he was younger . He received a paycheck from his sponsors.

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I simply don't believe it. NHL players have only been in the Olympics for 16 years. Before that, all sorts of Swedes and Czechs and Russians happily played in the NHL and shrugged off the Olympics. It's not the be-all-and-end-all of hockey. For anybody.

I believe it. You think that those players don't badly want to play olympics for a chance at gold? Maybe it would not be the end all for hockey but it would certainly hurt

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I simply don't believe it. NHL players have only been in the Olympics for 16 years. Before that, all sorts of Swedes and Czechs and Russians happily played in the NHL and shrugged off the Olympics. It's not the be-all-and-end-all of hockey. For anybody.

That's long enough for there to be players playing in the olympics who have grown up watching NHL players in the olympics. I was 9 years old for Nagano and can't say I remember Lillehammer at all. I remember being so into it as a kid and dreaming of playing for Canada in the olympics... I'm sure players 25 and under (as in, the ones who would be taking part in future olympics) felt the same way as kids.

[speede5]

Originally Posted by strombad

Would that make the NHL the only professional association that doesn't allow it's players to attend the Olympics?

The NHL doesn't forbid them from going, if the NHL didn't support it they could leave their teams and go play, at their own risk. No different than all the other athletes who leave their day jobs for a shot at gold.

If the door was open but the league continued while the games were on how many of these guys would care enough to take a sabatical and go for a gold? Ovechkin was going to.

It's easy to love your country and go for gold when there's no risk.

[CliffFletcher]

Sure, NHL players want to play in the Olympics. But so much that they'll walk out on their teams, tear up contracts, and leave millions of dollars on the table for a two-week tournament? No way.

[SuperMatt18]

I'll say this if the Americans win the Gold Medal this year, I guarantee the NHL goes back to the Olympics in 2018.

[vanisleflamesfan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I'll say this if the Americans win the Gold Medal this year, I guarantee the NHL goes back to the Olympics in 2018.

I was coming in here to say exactly the same thing.

[calgaryred]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Can't think of anybody who opted out in 1996 or 2004...

aoops ignore post

[calgaryred]

I don't mind the Olympics its nice to cheer for your country on a big world scale, but the Canada/World Cup may not get the hockey interest as much outside of Canada but the games make money for the NHL, and I admit I prefer the games at a local timeslot, on NHL ice, with NHL referees, a best of three series for the final (sadly the last World Cup didn't have this), but most of all overtime no penalty shot crap. The Canada Cup 87 series under international rules would have been a flop. USSR won game one (that would have been the series right there) and game two was double overtime a rule that doesn't exist in international play. That was the best series I ever saw of hockey in my life.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by speede5

The NHL doesn't forbid them from going, if the NHL didn't support it they could leave their teams and go play, at their own risk. No different than all the other athletes who leave their day jobs for a shot at gold.

Uhh, no. If the NHL doesn't go, any player who left their team to try and play in the Olympics would be suspended immediately and the NHL would be making sure the IIHF honoured the suspension.

If the NHL doesn't go, NHL players aren't going.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Sure, NHL players want to play in the Olympics. But so much that they'll walk out on their teams, tear up contracts, and leave millions of dollars on the table for a two-week tournament? No way.

For Canadian or American players, sure. But you're already seeing some big Russian stars bolting for the KHL, how many more do you think there'd be if the KHL continues to allow it's players to participate in the Olympics and the NHL doesn't? The only thing keeping the vast majority of foreign players in the NHL is the money, and that's starting to change now with a rival league offering comparable contracts. The Olympics are just another bargaining chip to sway them away if the league does make such a stupid decision to not go to the 2018 games

[Resolute 14]

There's already hardly any Russians in the NHL worth a damn. Not a serious threat. Not to mention, the NHL wouldn't suffer at the gate in the slightest.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

There's already hardly any Russians in the NHL worth a damn. Not a serious threat. Not to mention, the NHL wouldn't suffer at the gate in the slightest.

Don Cherry would have his #### out stroking it.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

There's already hardly any Russians in the NHL worth a damn. Not a serious threat. Not to mention, the NHL wouldn't suffer at the gate in the slightest.

I'd argue that losing Ovechkin would be a blow to the NHL. Not at the gate... but it starts people thinking the KHL is an option. They are adding a Finnish team next year and if they get a team a Sweden with some crazy rich owner could you not see a star Swedish guy return? You always heard about Lidstrom wanting his kids to go to school in Sweden. If he had the to option to play there in a league that is semi-comparable to the NHL, he might have left.

Guys like Kovalchuk and to a less extent Radulov are good player but if you lose a top 2 or 3 talent, there is a risk that it opens to the door to more guys moving particularly as the league expands throughout Europe.

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I'd argue that losing Ovechkin would be a blow to the NHL. Not at the gate... but it starts people thinking the KHL is an option. They are adding a Finnish team next year and if they get a team a Sweden with some crazy rich owner could you not see a star Swedish guy return? You always heard about Lidstrom wanting his kids to go to school in Sweden. If he had the to option to play there in a league that is semi-comparable to the NHL, he might have left.

Guys like Kovalchuk and to a less extent Radulov are good player but if you lose a top 2 or 3 talent, there is a risk that it opens to the door to more guys moving particularly as the league expands throughout Europe.

For 2018 it may not be too big of a deal, as I don't think that there are any Korean players in the NHL. But I can see it becoming a big issue the next time a European team host the game and players want to go back and play in their home country. Same as ovechkin this year was going to play in Russia no matter what it took.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by troutman

I'm not crazy for wanting to see a seven game series vs Russia or the USA, as opposed to an Olympic style tournament where Canada plays two meaningful games. I admit this is for selfish reasons, and not the best way to grow the game.

I actually think this may be an awesome way to grow the game, especially in America. Think about it, if we get one 7 game series in September every other year between Canada and the United States? It's not for gold, it's not for some made up trophy, it's because we flat out dislike each other.

The rest of the world wants to complain and partake? Piss off, this is our deal. Set up your own series with Finland. Or better yet, you want in on one of these grudge match series? Buy in. OH! Ok, maybe disregard everything I've just written, but follow me on this:

-This is an annual event. There is a round robin to start, and the top 2 seeds play a 7-game series.
-The winner gets a crown, and doesn't have to participate in next year's round robin; they go right to the 7-game series.
-The first-place team in each subsequent round robin plays the defending champions; winner gets the bye to the next year's series.

You could do this idea in three weeks in September, it would be an NHL sanctioned event, the players would get paid a 250K bonus for winning the whole thing, and we'd get to see a best-on-best 7 game series once a year.

Or we play the Americans once a year for death and glory.

[GirlySports]

I think again it would be results-dependent where it has to be Canada-US and it has to go 7.

A sweep in one-time 7 game series would suck. The Stanley Cup playoffs are more about the 2 month journey then one series.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

I think again it would be results-dependent where it has to be Canada-US and it has to go 7.

A sweep in one-time 7 game series would suck. The Stanley Cup playoffs are more about the 2 month journey then one series.

The 7 game series removes doubt about the best team head to head. You can't fluke your way to a 7 game win in a best on best tournament.

Canada doesn't sweep any of the final six teams except maybe the Czechs IMO

[wretched34]

I think if the NHL decides to keep players out of the Olympics, it will come back to haunt them. This could really bite them in the ass. I personally think the Olympics mean a lot more to players than a lot of you seem to believe.
The KHL could cash in big time, on a bad decision by the NHL. They could open their doors, and North Americans could end up being the ones flooding over seas to play in the KHL. Why would star North American players want to stay in the NHL, when they can make just as much money, if not more, and still represent their countries when the time arises?
Even if it is just Europeans that opt out of the NHL, in order to be a part of the Olympics, that has an impact on NHL talent. 28% of the top 50 point scorers in the NHL right now, are European.... that is a fairly large number, that is a lot of star power lost, and a lot of revenue for a lot of teams that is out the window... A team like Detroit would lose the faces of their franchise, as an example.
And what happens to the Olympics? Canada and the USA would almost instantly become the worst teams in the tournament, that would be crushing to fans.... I think a lot of people would be really upset when they watch Canada get their asses handed to them by the teams we consider weak now, not to mention the onslaught of the Swede's Russians and Finns, we'd be the joke of the Olympics by sending Amateurs to play professionals.

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by wretched34

I think if the NHL decides to keep players out of the Olympics, it will come back to haunt them. This could really bite them in the ass. I personally think the Olympics mean a lot more to players than a lot of you seem to believe.
The KHL could cash in big time, on a bad decision by the NHL. They could open their doors, and North Americans could end up being the ones flooding over seas to play in the KHL. Why would star North American players want to stay in the NHL, when they can make just as much money, if not more, and still represent their countries when the time arises?
Even if it is just Europeans that opt out of the NHL, in order to be a part of the Olympics, that has an impact on NHL talent. 28% of the top 50 point scorers in the NHL right now, are European.... that is a fairly large number, that is a lot of star power lost, and a lot of revenue for a lot of teams that is out the window... A team like Detroit would lose the faces of their franchise, as an example.
And what happens to the Olympics? Canada and the USA would almost instantly become the worst teams in the tournament, that would be crushing to fans.... I think a lot of people would be really upset when they watch Canada get their asses handed to them by the teams we consider weak now, not to mention the onslaught of the Swede's Russians and Finns, we'd be the joke of the Olympics by sending Amateurs to play professionals.

Why does everyone automatically assume this would be what happens? Is there no faith in players who are not currently playing in the NHL?