Mr Hockey*
Guest
no i don't believe that NHL players should represent their countries at this level. they are employees of the NHL, they are paid gross amounts of money to play for THEIR team, and then when they are injured outside of that, it has the potential to screw up their season. it doesn't matter that it could happen if it was with the team - because at least if it was with the team, or training as a Leaf, at least it happened at work. it makes sense, and you go "that's the breaks, and you can move on."
There is a reason why NHL players need to get another type of insurance for international play, there's a reason why teams suspend players if they get injured doing anything not conducive to the team. So. no. i will not "give it a rest, already." that our goalie got injured, we don't know how severe, or how that will impact his season with the Leafs.
I also don't know how old you are, but stop making it sound like the NHL has always been and always will be at the Olympics. It only started up in 1998 when they allowed professional hockey players to go to Nagano and pretty much since 2006 it's been a massive hassle and it is getting more and more obvious that the NHL doesn't want to stop in the middle of their season (also may I note, that most players hate the condensed schedule), have to pay for millions of dollars of insurance, they get no revenue from going and the impact of the NHL actually being there hasn't really translated into much going international, or at home in North America. And there's no indication from the IOC that the Winter Games will be in North America any time soon as most bids are still Euro-Asia based. So it' going to constantly be this tug of war without the thrill and drama of a USA home games (and tugging at the hearts of Miracle on Ice), and with Vancouver a sure bet to win the 2010 games so you knew you'd have a hockey mad nation.
so no. i will not "give it a rest." when once again something happened to prove my point (and the owners) of why this is not a good idea. international hockey competition worked without NHL participation for a very very long time, and stop making it out like it won't be able to do so now.
I made the below post in another thread and she twists it into the above bolded.
This tournament has been going on since the 70's, under different name/formats.
I will pass ...