[News] NHL not sending its players to the Olympics

[Northendzone]

Don’t agree with Marchand, but kudos to him for stepping up and saying something

[Gemnoble]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yeah, I think the idea of the Olympics as they’re currently constructed is as an absolute joke and is a net negative on mankind.

Have a World Cup of Hockey every 4 years, in the off-season, and have it rotate around the world in countries where the facilities already exist.

They really need to change up how to they handle the Olympics. Four locations, one in North America, one in South America, one in Europe, one in Asia/Africa.

Alternate between the four, for alternate Olympics. So every Fourth Winter and every Fourth Summer Olympics will be in your Zone. Four sets of properly maintained world class facilities that won't fall into ruin or bankrupt a country. We obviously could have issues with countries boycotting Olympics in certain zones but that's their issue.

I'd say you'd want safe, stable, accepting, neutral countries with climates capable of hosting both Olympics without normally being too extreme. Vancouver for North America. Santiago, Chile for South America. Switzerland for Europe and Seoul, South Korea for Asia.

So USA, Russia and China would be annoyed but at least they're all in the same boat and all close enough to a location of the Olympics that travel will be kind to them for one of the events.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

They really need to change up how to they handle the Olympics. Four locations, one in North America, one in South America, one in Europe, one in Asia/Africa.

Alternate between the four, for alternate Olympics. So every Fourth Winter and every Fourth Summer Olympics will be in your Zone. Four sets of properly maintained world class facilities that won't fall into ruin or bankrupt a country. We obviously could have issues with countries boycotting Olympics in certain zones but that's their issue.

I'd say you'd want safe, stable, accepting, neutral countries with climates capable of hosting both Olympics without normally being too extreme. Vancouver for North America. Santiago, Chile for South America. Switzerland for Europe and Seoul, South Korea for Asia.

So USA, Russia and China would be annoyed but at least they're all in the same boat and all close enough to a location of the Olympics that travel will be kind to them for one of the events.

With a scary socialist millennial running Chile, I think they may have to look elsewhere. I assume the narrative around Chile will shift to it being a "dangerous" and "oppressive" state shortly.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Joborule

When the NHL originally went to the olympics to try to grow the games, it was a great idea. And was fun to watch over two decades.

But the NHL has gotta figure out a way to get out of the Olympics in the long term since I don't believe they get any benefit from it anymore, and it's purely for the players. It's too disruptive to the league, and the fact IOC wouldn't allow the NHL to have media content rights is BS for the NHL.

It may take a decade or two, but if the NHL can consistently have the World Cup of Hockey happen every four years, and make the tournament build integrity as the best international hockey competition, they may be able to finally be able to shackle off the Olympic chains if they're still interested in doing so at that point.

If they are going to go down that road, it needs to be in the winter. Make it after the Super Bowl, and get the other pro leagues and iihf to buy in as an International window.

Summer tournaments are lame and just for Canadian fans. Olympics work because other countries care, players are in season form and it's not run by a North American pro league for the sake of its fans.

It's sad to see best on best hockey die from the Olympics. Aside from the handful of years the Flames made it deep in the playoffs, Team Canada Olympic games were the games I was most personally invested in as a fan. I don't see any way a tournament run by hockey hating Bettman could be something I'd ever care about.

[FlamesAddiction]

I bet most ordinary players are more than happy to scrap the Olympics in order to get through the regular season in a reasonable amount of time. They probably won't say it out loud though.

If the season has to eat into the summer again, that is their time it is eating into, so players that weren't going to the Olympics probably would rather just cancel it.

Players like Marchand needs to realize that the NHLPA has to consider those players too.

[scotty2hotty]

My amazing plan that I've been touting for a few years:

- World Cup of hockey is every 4 years in September. North America only for the first few events. Other locations considered later once the model is proven successful.

- Olympics is only under 23 YO (just like men's soccer). (NHL teams can release anyone they want to allow to participate ... but unlikely they will release any active players)

- All-Star game takes place beginning of October. It's the official kickoff to start the season. It's a celebration of the game. Real games start a few days later.

- January 1st is ONE winter classic game

- Current All-star break is replaced with the stadium series. (All teams have some sort of mid-season break built around here)

[SebC]

How many of us never watched a rock climbing event until the Olympics? A World Cup of Hockey is only good for hockey fans. If you want to be seen by sports fans, the Olympics is where it's at.

IMO it's in the NHL's interest to go to the Olympics, particularly with the death of "getting paid for people who aren't watching your channel on TV" looming.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by SebC

How many of us never watched a rock climbing event until the Olympics? A World Cup of Hockey is only good for hockey fans. If you want to be seen by sports fans, the Olympics is where it's at.

IMO it's in the NHL's interest to go to the Olympics, particularly with the death of "getting paid for people who aren't watching your channel on TV" looming.

How many people have watched a rock climbing event since the Olympics? Of course, if it were easily accessible perhaps some would become regulars, but at most we might be talking about just the X Games or something.

I suspect NHL hockey is similarly inaccessible to international audiences...maybe the SC finals can be found, but its not exactly sustainable growth.

The NFL and MLB don't have particularly global audiences...it's only really soccer and to some extent basketball that have pulled it off (the simplicity of equipment and player(s) required being a common denominator there).



I think the better question for the NHL is whether they are maximizing value from existing hockey engaged/affluent markets (northern Europe).

In the late 00's the league had a good run of 5 years sending teams to Europe for pre-season inter-league games and NHL season openers. Then the 2012 lockout disrupted things and they didn't really go back until 2018. In any case, there doesn't seem to be much of a plan beyond plopping in a few games and saying "see you next year...maybe".

The nice thing about Europe is that central EUR time zone is 6 hours ahead of EST...there is a window on the weekends where viewership could work across each continent. I think there is a lot of mutually beneficial meat on that bone.

[GirlySports]

Watching rock climbing while fun, didn't make me a rock climbing fan. I suspect the same with Olympic hockey. Having Olympic hockey in China isn't suddenly going to make Chinese people watch NHL hockey. Because they don't have an interest.


International hockey just can't agree on what to do, probably because hockey just isn't that popular a sport to make it internationally. Hockey's been in Europe forever and it still lags behind soccer, basketball, tennis, F1 etc... It probably doesn't get enough gate or tv revenue. And then we all know the struggles of NHL in the US.

[Erick Estrada]

The Olympics does nothing for the NHL. I don't know why people still think it's a good thing for the league.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

The Olympics does nothing for the NHL. I don't know why people still think it's a good thing for the league.

There is a basic flaw that most sports have where they think "if we just get people watching our sport they will love it and become fans".
In reality I struggle to think of any actual examples of that.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

There is a basic flaw that most sports have where they think "if we just get people watching our sport they will love it and become fans".
In reality I struggle to think of any actual examples of that.

Maybe, but if that were true would we have have any successful NHL teams in southern US states?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Maybe, but if that were true would we have have any successful NHL teams in southern US states?

That's the point, there has to be a team there to have a stake. Sports is about a unhealthy fandom, suffering abusive relationships. Nobody in Kansas City is becoming an NHL fan because the NHLers went to the Olympics on the other side of the world. Besides, Gretzky to LA had more to do with that than anything

Even the soccer world cup, people watch their local teams then cheer for their country, as a one off event. I don't think it's the reverse. The World Cup doesn't create fans. So this is where the NHL has gone wrong.

A world cup in any sport is a a cash cow, cashing in on its existing fans plus casual Canada fans.

[Coach]

Im fine with a World Cup of Hockey.

The NHL has shown they can't organize something like that without throwing stupid gimmicks into it, again thinking it somehow attracts fans that weren't there. "Oh man, some teams arent as good. TEAM EUROPE (but not those 4 good countries)! thats what people in Slovakia want, right? To cheer for a nothing team?"

"People dont want Matthews vs McDavid, they want Matthews AND McDavid! TEAM 25!! That's what people want, right? Not their best young players playing for their country."

so f***ing dumb.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Coach

Im fine with a World Cup of Hockey.

The NHL has shown they can't organize something like that without throwing stupid gimmicks into it, again thinking it somehow attracts fans that weren't there. "Oh man, some teams arent as good. TEAM EUROPE (but not those 4 good countries)! thats what people in Slovakia want, right? To cheer for a nothing team?"

"People dont want Matthews vs McDavid, they want Matthews AND McDavid! TEAM 25!! That's what people want, right? Not their best young players playing for their country."

so f***ing dumb.

It would have to be incorporated into the World Championships that happen in May every year. There is a structure there which the NHL is not interested in. Thus, teams cobble up as many players as possible who want to commit.


It doesn't have to be in May every year. A deal could be struck to have a best-on-best every two years or every four years. Instead of promotion and relegation, it could be straight World Cup qualifying for an August tournament. But again, I'm repeating myself, the NHL isn't interested. It's not interested in aligning it's season or releasing it's players for anything.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Coach

Im fine with a World Cup of Hockey.

The NHL has shown they can't organize something like that without throwing stupid gimmicks into it, again thinking it somehow attracts fans that weren't there. "Oh man, some teams arent as good. TEAM EUROPE (but not those 4 good countries)! thats what people in Slovakia want, right? To cheer for a nothing team?"

"People dont want Matthews vs McDavid, they want Matthews AND McDavid! TEAM 25!! That's what people want, right? Not their best young players playing for their country."

so f***ing dumb.

I liked team Europe a lot better than 4-5 non-competitive teams or the elimination of great players who don’t have a country that can field a complete team.

I doubt you’d get a Team NA under 25 any more. That was just to justify having Matthews in, who hadn’t played any pro hockey yet (and arguably McDavid’s half season didn’t guarantee him a Canada spot either).

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by jg13

https://twitter.com/user/status/1475886886799515657

Marchand getting involved now

Hey Brad.
You're not paying anything back, you agreed to get 50% of revenue and that's what you're gonna get. Anything going into escrow, that isn't getting paid out is, be definition, not your money.

[jonesy]

I am starting to wonder if the Olympics will go ahead. I mean, I'm sure they will because China likely won't cancel anything, but maybe more teams and athletes will decide not to go.

[jonesy]

China will have record setting medal counts! They will love it.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by jonesy

China will have record setting medal counts! They will love it.

There’ll be an asterisk next to it though like other games.