"Prognosis is not really good" on NHL players going to 2018 Olympics

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Locke

Presumably the whole point of the World Cup of Hockey was to distance the NHL from the Olympics, the IOC is just making it easier by making insane demands while thinking they have some sort of leverage.

"Well, its not fair that they get this and other athletes dont!"

Because the Olympics has always been the last bastion for fairness.

Nothing to do with fairness. Other sports will see that it's possible, and they'll want in on it.

Preventing that from happening is probably worth more money to the IOC than having NHL players in the Winter Olympics. (Which is second tier compared to the Summer Olympics anyway.)

Originally Posted by Locke

This is the IOC saying that they want everything for nothing but they have no ulterior leverage beyond: 'well then you dont get to play at the Olympics.'

Don't underestimate that leverage. It's been enough to turn the olympics into a juggernaut.

[FireGilbert]

I love best on best Olympic hockey and think the NHL is being short sighted on expanding the game, however understand not wanting to support a corrupt IOC for little short term gain.

Not being in the Olympics would be a lot more palatable if there were plans for an actual World Cup and not a gimmicky rehash of the Canada Cup though.

Also, very surprised no one caught the obvious Seinfeld reference (Locke came close but went in a different direction):

Spoiler!

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I might be mis-remembering, but IIRC the skating finals were the premier event for years in the Oly's before the arrival of NHL participation.

Yup.

The Miracle on Ice wasn't even televised in the US. American fans along the border tuned into the Canadian coverage where they could.

The Olympics doesn't need NHL players. But television revenue is definitely higher with them. The US beating Canada in a best-on-best Olympics would be a dream for the profile of the sport.

[cam_wmh]

FIFA pays for insurance of the players, AND compensates the clubs, if the player is hurt on international duty.

In concrete terms, if a player is injured due to an accident while on duty with his representative "A" team, the player's club will be compensated for having to continue to pay the player's fixed salary although the player is temporarily disabled and unable to perform footballing activities for his club.

The first bulletin, in preparation for Euro 2012.
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affe...tcirculare.pdf
Renewed until 2018
http://goldengate-law.com/pdf/fifa_c...cular_1466.pdf

Is the NHL to the IIHF, the same as say UEFA to FIFA?

[Itse]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Is the NHL to the IIHF, the same as say UEFA to FIFA?

No. UEFA is a part of FIFA. The NHL is it's own thing. (In comparison, all professional soccer is played under FIFA, including national leagues. This is why all of soccer is played with FIFA rules, but in hockey the NHL and IIHF both have their own rulebooks.)

As for FIFA compensating for players hurt in international duty, they also do that for the olympics. So the equivalent for hockey would be the IIHF compensating a players club in case of injuries.

Of course FIFA is rich and IIHF isn't, so that wouldn't work. Plus it wouldn't really make sense for IIHF to get stuck with the bill between NHL and IOC.

[cam_wmh]

UEFA is a regional/continental body, to the world governance of FIFA.

I hate to quote wiki; "International Ice Hockey Federationis a worldwide governing body for ice hockey "

Is the NHL entirely sovereign from the IIHF?

[Ice]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yup.

The Miracle on Ice wasn't even televised in the US. American fans along the border tuned into the Canadian coverage where they could.

It was televised in the US on ABC with Al Michaels but it wasn't live.

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by Locke

Oh sure, the Olympics will survive without NHL players. But they'll make less money.

Think about that, 'making less money.' Its so awesome its got to be one of the IOC's absolute most favourite things, I'm sure. They're huge fans.

I agree with this, even though I preferred the Olympics before NHL players. Would love to see Hockey Canada resurrect the National team program, with the growth of the NHL in the US and Europe the Canadian National Program would be stronger than it was back in the day too as they would be able to draw in borderline NHLers and veteran NHLers without contracts, mix in some top CHL and NCAA prospects and I think you have a winning combination. It would be like a beefed up Spengler Cup (which would also improve as they would invite the National Program) which is some excellent hockey.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

UEFA is a regional/continental body, to the world governance of FIFA.

I hate to quote wiki; "International Ice Hockey Federationis a worldwide governing body for ice hockey "

Is the NHL entirely sovereign from the IIHF?

As far as I know, yes.

IIHF is kind of a weak organization anyway. Hockey is the only team sport I can think of where the main governing organization (IIHF) has no control over the main tournaments (the olympics and the Stanley Cup).

[Erick Estrada]

Totally fine with me if the NHL isn't there. I care about Flames and the NHL first and foremost when it comes to hockey and the Olympics is great and all but I care about it as much as Americans care about the Dream Team winning gold in the summer games.

[CroFlames]

The World Cup should be the premier international event, plain and simple.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

And they were the premier event before NHLers were involved. I'm not a fan of the IOC by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just questioning the notion that the Winter Olympics desperately need NHL players to generate ratings and revenue.

Never watched a minute of it before the NHL players were involved because it was a bunch of scrubs vs Russia's best basically. That's what it will be again as I don't see the KHL not sending it's best players.

If the IOC wants to do this, screw 'em.

[Tyler]

This is all posturing. Deal will eventually get done and the IOC will capitulate to the NHL.

[powderjunkie]

How does insurance work for players at the World Championships?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Yup.

The Miracle on Ice wasn't even televised in the US. American fans along the border tuned into the Canadian coverage where they could.

The Olympics doesn't need NHL players. But television revenue is definitely higher with them. The US beating Canada in a best-on-best Olympics would be a dream for the profile of the sport.

Actually it was, but on tape delay from the late afternoon. Aired in prime time on ABC IIRC and produced one of the most iconic calls in hockey history by Al Michaels.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The World Cup should be the premier international event, plain and simple.

A World Cup, not this mess that is happening in the fall.

[Locke]

It doesnt matter.

World Cup, World Championships, Olympics, none of it matters.

The Olympics at the very least has done the best job of actually putting the best against the best, from a national perspective, so lets credit it for that at least.

But so long as you have the dilution of the sport, the revenue and the control between the NHL, the KHL, the IIHF and the IOC you're never going to get a true kickass competition.

There is a bigger problem to solve here, all other sports have over-arching Governing bodies. One.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Actually it was, but on tape delay from the late afternoon. Aired in prime time on ABC IIRC and produced one of the most iconic calls in hockey history by Al Michaels.

I'm of the school that says that tape delay for sports = not televised.

And yes, Al Michaels had a great call.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Locke

It doesnt matter.

World Cup, World Championships, Olympics, none of it matters.

The Olympics at the very least has done the best job of actually putting the best against the best, from a national perspective, so lets credit it for that at least.

Disagree. The Canada Cup / World Cup featured all the best players from the six best hockey countries in the world. All the Olympics did was add a bunch of second-rate teams that get beat up by the hockey powers.

While I think the new format for the World Cup is dumb (they should have stuck with six teams), I'm not going to miss the warm-up games against Latvia and Germany. It makes for a more intense tournament when every team is a team that can realistically beat Canada.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Disagree. The Canada Cup / World Cup featured all the best players from the six best hockey countries in the world. All the Olympics did was add a bunch of second-rate teams that get beat up by the hockey powers.

While I think the new format for the World Cup is dumb (they should have stuck with six teams), I'm not going to miss the warm-up games against Latvia and Germany. It makes for a more intense tournament when every team is a team that can realistically beat Canada.

Well, first of all I'd say that that was then and this is now.

I dont disagree on the warm-up games against minnows, but you're going to get that if your goal is the grow the game.