Last Olympics for NHL players, do you agree?

[millbank]

It being said NHL allowed its players to participate in this recent Olympics because simply they were concerned about losing Russian players to KHL . With injuries season ending to Tavaras, Zetterberg will take time to heal, who knows what others and how it will effect remaining season, playoffs ect. team owners many were not proponents from the outset, with such injury fears.

Much talk taking place where the NHL will return to a World Cup format, this more practical in terms of presentation, time zones and so forth, plus simply they will be able to make a great deal of money . This format will still offer the nationalistic format that fans enjoy. (generally so)

Will you be unhappy if this was the last NHL Olympics?

Much of this current format originated before the influx of European players where in North America sent amateur teams, many in Europe through various means were in fact masked true professionals. The argument then was if they could use their professionals, so should we. Soviets for one recognized hockey as a vehicle they could use, skilled athletes played on club teams year round, Soviet Red Army, Soviet Wings, and so forth.

What i would like to see given the inconsistent judgements as to who professionals are or who are not, restrict teams to be composed of players 20 and under. ( if teams composed of College age players, it arguable if they students or professionals)

Question will/would you be in agreement with NHL not participating in Olympic games and a Professional World Cup , perhaps every four years?

Edited February 24, 2014 by millbank

[IKnowPhysics]

do you agree?

 

Nope.

 

Unlike previous years, when they annoyingly waited until the last second to determine if they were going, the NHL's going to meet in about six months to discuss the next Olympics. Olympic hockey grows the sport, gives the league more exposure, and boosts revenues for its contracted television partner. Three of the league's favorite things. More fans, more interest, more money.

[darksabre]

The NHL would be insane to remove itself from the Olympics. A few hurt players aren't going to sway them.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I hate the fact that pros are allowed to play in the Olympics.

 

I hope they end that, but am not holding my breath.

[nfreeman]

I think the NHL is going to play hardball to get whatever concessions they can get from the players and the IOOC and then ultimately concede (i.e. allow the players to play).

[Hoss]

I'm pretty torn on this topic.

[pi2000]

Hockey may be moved to the Summer games, ala basketball. That way all the pros can compete and it doesn't interfere with the NHL. The only problem with that is the venues would need to be shared with basketball and it just wouldn't work out logistically with such a short time span to fit all the games in.

 

Either that or bring back the Canada Cup series in Sept. Those were great.

Edited February 24, 2014 by pi2000

[SwampD]

Hockey may be moved to the Summer games, ala basketball. That way all the pros can compete and it doesn't interfere with the NHL. The only problem with that is the venues would need to be shared with basketball and it just wouldn't work out logistically with such a short time span to fit all the games in.

 

Either that or bring back the Canada Cup series in Sept. Those were great.

Don't you end up with the same problem, though, if the Summer Olympics are in the Southern hemisphere?

 

No NHLers in the Olympics?… don't care. I'll watch every game and love it anyway.

No Russians or Euros in the NHL as a result?… don't care. I'll watch every game and love it anyway.

[IKnowPhysics]

Hockey may be moved to the Summer games, ala basketball. That way all the pros can compete and it doesn't interfere with the NHL.

 

Instead of the NHL just taking a planned break, nations wishing to host the summer games would have to engineer, build, and pay for new hockey stadiums for a winter sport. Insanity.

[TrueBlueGED]

I think any threats or comments from owners/execs questioning NHL involvement in 2018 is simply posturing to extract more from the IOC/IIHF. Well except Garth Snow, he was serious :lol:

[Two or less]

Keep the NHLers at home. There is too much risk and too little reward for NHL owners. Olympic hockey is amazing, i love it, as i do other Olympic sports, but from a business standpoint, it makes little to no sense. Atleast 6 major injuries from the Olympics that will effect NHL teams. Owners get nothing in return from a money-making machine that Olympic hockey is, and lose it all when one of their stars gets injured. No thanks.

 

The real question we should be asking is, what solution is there? If pros are still allowed to attend, then Russians will dominate.

 

The best idea i've heard, was similar to soccer. Send a U-23 squad. Don't stop the NHL but give teams the decision if they want to send a player under the age of 23 to the Olympics. Therefore, you still have a high level of hockey and some NHLers still participate.

[Hoss]

I'll have a more decided opinion on this matter when 2018 rolls around and our top two centers are picked to go to Canada in the middle of our record-breaking season.

[Iron Crotch]

Keep the NHLers at home. There is too much risk and too little reward for NHL owners. Olympic hockey is amazing, i love it, as i do other Olympic sports, but from a business standpoint, it makes little to no sense. Atleast 6 major injuries from the Olympics that will effect NHL teams. Owners get nothing in return from a money-making machine that Olympic hockey is, and lose it all when one of their stars gets injured. No thanks.

 

The real question we should be asking is, what solution is there? If pros are still allowed to attend, then Russians will dominate.

 

The best idea i've heard, was similar to soccer. Send a U-23 squad. Don't stop the NHL but give teams the decision if they want to send a player under the age of 23 to the Olympics. Therefore, you still have a high level of hockey and some NHLers still participate.

 

Yep. It is easy for fans to say they want to watch NHLers in the Olympics, but it is the owners who bear all of the risk and none of the reward. It just doesn't make sense to risk losing top players for a relatively meaningless tournament that falls right in the middle of the playoff race. Send top prospects. The U-23 idea seems good to me. I think most people would still watch.

[drnkirishone]

Yep. It is easy for fans to say they want to watch NHLers in the Olympics, but it is the owners who bear all of the risk and none of the reward. It just doesn't make sense to risk losing top players for a relatively meaningless tournament that falls right in the middle of the playoff race. Send top prospects. The U-23 idea seems good to me. I think most people would still watch.

considering the contracts are insured and I believe the NHL demands the IOC extend coverage for the tournament. The owners are hardly bearing all the risk nor are they seeing none of the reward. The owners do see a benefit of increased coverage of the game they are making billions on. This is simply about the owners wanting more of the cash cow that is the IOC. I can't fault them on that. The IOC deserves to be bilked with the way they operate.

[Two or less]

considering the contracts are insured and I believe the NHL demands the IOC extend coverage for the tournament. The owners are hardly bearing all the risk nor are they seeing none of the reward. The owners do see a benefit of increased coverage of the game they are making billions on. This is simply about the owners wanting more of the cash cow that is the IOC. I can't fault them on that. The IOC deserves to be bilked with the way they operate.

 

Who will pay for the fact Tavares or Zetterberg is injured? IOC won't pay for their time injured.

[Iron Crotch]

considering the contracts are insured and I believe the NHL demands the IOC extend coverage for the tournament. The owners are hardly bearing all the risk nor are they seeing none of the reward. The owners do see a benefit of increased coverage of the game they are making billions on. This is simply about the owners wanting more of the cash cow that is the IOC. I can't fault them on that. The IOC deserves to be bilked with the way they operate.

 

The Isles and Rangers each lost their leading scorer in the Olympics. There is a huge amount of risk in sending your star players overseas and exposing them to injury in a non-NHL game. Had a serious Cup contender lost one of their best guys (Toews, Getzlaf, etc.) it'd be major news. And, if our team didn't suck and we lost a top guy, we'd be pissed.

 

Personally, I think the negative effect of stopping the season for two weeks during the playoff chase is more damaging than the positive "game growing" effect of a few International games at 7am on NBCSN.

 

I get that fans want to see the best of each country face off against one another, but if I'm an owner I'm saying "no, thank you!"

[Nitro60]

Injuries can happen any time they get on the ice. If you remove the NHL from the Olympics, which is a show case for the best in their respected sports, the ice hockey venue will not be worth watching. Sorry but the idea to go back to the days of unknown college kids is past. Only plus to having a college/minor league line up is you can have more time to practice.

[Brawndo]

I realize this is a pipedream as the IOC and the IHF will never agree to this, but what about having the 2018 Men's Olympic Games played in North America. Split them between Two U.S. Cities and Two Canadian Cities. Use existing NHL Arenas, thereby saving the cost of construction of ones in South Korea. Plus it would eliminate travel across multiple time zones and it would increase attendance at the games as well. The Harbor Center would be able to host the whole tournament if necessary.

Edited February 25, 2014 by BRAWNDO

[Two or less]

I realize this is a pipedream as the IOC and the IHF will never agree to this, but what about having the 2018 Men's Olympic Games played in North America. Split them between Two U.S. Cities and Two Canadian Cities. Use existing NHL Arenas, thereby saving the cost of construction of ones in South Korea. Plus it would eliminate travel across multiple time zones and it would increase attendance at the games as well. The Harbor Center would be able to host the whole tournament if necessary.

 

You just described the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

[drnkirishone]

Who will pay for the fact Tavares or Zetterberg is injured? IOC won't pay for their time injured.

actually they have. As I recall hearing that was one of the concessions the NHL got out of them.

 

The Isles and Rangers each lost their leading scorer in the Olympics. There is a huge amount of risk in sending your star players overseas and exposing them to injury in a non-NHL game. Had a serious Cup contender lost one of their best guys (Toews, Getzlaf, etc.) it'd be major news. And, if our team didn't suck and we lost a top guy, we'd be pissed.

 

Personally, I think the negative effect of stopping the season for two weeks during the playoff chase is more damaging than the positive "game growing" effect of a few International games at 7am on NBCSN.

 

I get that fans want to see the best of each country face off against one another, but if I'm an owner I'm saying "no, thank you!"

you are missing the point. The owners are not assuming all the risk. They are using the games to get more money out of the IOC and to get concessions from the nhlpa. If the owners are so worried about injuries outside of NHL games why are they pushing for a Canada cup/world cup so hard?

[Trettioåtta]

Zetterberg was injured before the Olympics. He recovered then reinjured himself because he wasn't actually recovered. It is 6 extra games that are far less physical than the NHL. Stamkos broke his leg early in the season. Injuries happen. 6 games of Olympic hockey are negligible. The owners don't have to pay a single dime for their players. A player goes and is injured for 10 years? Fine, let the IOC pay the bill. The risk they bare is that a star will lose time and they won't be able to recover the season. But freak injuries happen and the only way the NHL can get true international exposure is through the Olympics.

 

NHL games start at 12am n Britain. In Europe it is 1am. Further east it is 4am. People don't stumble across the NHL. But they do watch the Olympics and go hey this is pretty cool. The top players play in the NHL, I'll check the NHL out see what it is like. Well, that is what I did anyway. My friend is from Sweden, pretty big Swedish national team hockey fan - if you asked him to name 5 NHL teams he couldn't do it. After these Olympics he said "I might check the NHL out next season"

 

As a unit of 30, the owners will make more money from sending players and getting the exposure. Sure one or two might have their season go down hill afterwards, but that's part of the game. The NHL grows and that is the important thing

[wjag]

I saw a commentary, I think by NBC during their Olympic coverage, that said there is no economic incentive for the owners. They shutter their arenas for two weeks. Arenas generate their income along with their TV packages. Workers who rely on the arenas for income don't get paid during that timeframe. The owners risk injury to their star players (mostly the Crosby-types are going while the John Scotts-types aren't). They also made the point (not sure I believe) that the cooling off period for their team means some fans don't come back. And lastly, it majorly screws with team schedules as they need to account for the two week period.

 

I agree with whomever said up thread that if Crosby or OV received a season-ending concussion as a result of those six games played, the conversation would be different.

 

I think on the plus side, non-Olympic players get a chance to heal.

 

My guess is NHL players in the Olympics are here to stay. The train has left the station on this.

Edited February 25, 2014 by wjag

[X. Benedict]

The Olympics stay. The network wants it and the players want it.

 

If the NHL can't figure out how to market it, that's their problem.

 

I think what bothers the owners is that they know how the sausage is made. The Olympics generates billions in revenue more than the NHL.

Where does all that money go?

 

What is more lucrative, being a member of the IOC or being an NHL owner?

It is hard to tell with Swiss bank accounts and a winking attitude towards graft.

[North Buffalo]

I wish the game could be made up of amateurs, but with the KHL and Swedish Elite league etc... not sure you can keep out the professionals. The only thing I could see is if you made in an under 21 deal like the World Junior Championships. Short of that, I wouldn't trust any country to not put in ringers...

 

And I agree Benedict... they the players do seem to like it and the Networks loved it.

Edited February 26, 2014 by North Buffalo

[Marvelo]

It's all about $. Since the Dream Team, the Olympics have been corrupted and tainted forever. Only it still looks and sounds like the Olympics on TV. There is no turning back.