Olympics

[discomike]

So with all the postponements now and a significant umber of teams shutting down until after Christmas, does anyone think the NHL players go to the Olympics in China? I'd put the chances of them going at nearly 0%.

[RGM81]

There was a news release earlier today indicating that a final decision will be coming "in a matter of days." I suspect that you're correct--with the spike in the new variant and the impact it is having around the NHL, the rules in place in China, and the stakes for certain players on certain teams, that they're going to be cancelling NHL participation. It sucks. For a lot of guys this is probably their last chance at it. We won't get to see Sid & McD in their primes on the same team. Lots of reasons...but can you imagine if one of those guys tests positive over there and is lost to his team for a month??

[costanza]

Sadly, I think there is no chance the NHL and NHLPA send their guys to China. I'm curious how USA Hockey and the other national federations put together a team on short notice.

[Marcb105]

Even if the NHL and PA agreed to send players, it would not be the "complete rosters" we think, as many would opt out. At that point, might as well just keep the NHLers home and try to complete this season with as little interruption as possible

[30ranfordfan]

A month ago I would have said "little chance". Now? There is no chance. Even if COVID were eliminated tomorrow, those two weeks could be used to make up the missed games.

Hopefully they can bring back the World Cup in the fall, or next year if they need more time to plan, give us the best-on-best we want to see, and end Olympic participation for good.

[discomike]

I would much rather see a World Cup of Hockey event than the Olympics.

[RGM81]

A month ago I would have said "little chance". Now? There is no chance. Even if COVID were eliminated tomorrow, those two weeks could be used to make up the missed games.

Hopefully they can bring back the World Cup in the fall, or next year if they need more time to plan, give us the best-on-best we want to see, and end Olympic participation for good.

They were talking about the potential of a World Cup as an alternative....basically, shot it down immediately as an "instead of the Olympics let's use the time for this" thing. They said it takes 12-18 months to put all the logistics together to make it happen. Obviously that includes things like the travel arrangements & boarding the players, getting all the advertising & promotional work done, etc. It's like UD putting together a product like The Cup....it just takes time to get all the pieces in place. They said that while WCOH isn't off the table down the line, it's not at the top of the short-term priority list.

[jameslacarte]

3-5 Weeks Quarantine has basically put an end to NHL players playing in the Olympics. As much as i would love to watch the best players in the World play for they're country i think its wishful thinking at this point. It would have been some good hockey for sure!!

[creasecollector]

I think it's already been rumoured that they are 100% not going. Will be a day or two before it's made official...

That said, I will enjoy the non-NHL rosters like last time. While best-on-best would be amazing, seeing players who never would have dreamed to call themselves Olympians getting their shot is something else.

I too wouldn't mind a World Cup tournament again and leave the Olympics to the non-NHL Pro's and talented Amateurs.

[chakhae1]

A World Cup tourney in a bubble setting would work great in my eyes. I remember when it was in Toronto and I regret not going to a game b/c the buzz was amazing!! But ya no way that the nhl lets its players go to the olympics and good on them.