Do you care that the NHL isn't going to the olympics

[OVrocks]

Yes I care since now Olympic hockey is no longer worth watching.

 

[tucker3434]

Yeah, one of my favorite things about the olympics is the chance for USA to beat Canada. Now, even if we do, who care?

 

[Paxton Fettel]

Olympic hockey is the best thing there is, every 4 years. Now they took that away, makes me sad.

 

[The Shovel Penguin]

I don't know if I care at this point because the decision has been made and it's just not something I'm going to get worked up about. The hockey won't be as good, but I can see why the league takes issue with it. I'll still watch.

 

[Jugitsu]

Olypic games are games where all athletes participate. An arrogant local league not allowing it's players to go should be ignored and banned.

And you are so destroyed by Gary's propaganda that you are really resinging his stupid songs about how the IOC is responsible for anything. The NHL should kindly adk for permission to participate in the biggest sports event. They have no claims to make.

Of course they do have claim. If a rival organization wants to borrow NHL's employees and asks NHL to pay for everything while this rival organization wants to make all the money, I think it's only fair that the NHL doesn't accommodate this.

I only hope NHL is the first of many to do it.

And I think it's you, and your anti NA narrative that is too gullible to believe everything they're told. The world is not black and white my Slavic friend.

 

[orangecrush8]

As a hockey fan, sure. It’s the best of the best.

As a Canadian I really don’t care at all. I get zero pleasure out of cheering for Crosby, Marchand, etc.

On another note, I’ve found it quite humourous with all the talk about how proud the guys are who are going for their respective countries. I mean the only reason they are going is because the better players aren’t.

 

[Drake1588]

I like best-on-best hockey, but strongly dislike the IOC. So I get it.

The World Cup is fine with me, as long as they have a clean tournament. Don't strip the North American teams of their youth, which is increasingly the age bracket where the best players in the world are to be found. Moreover, don't create this amalgam of misfit toys of a European team; paradoxically, if you take the best players from 8-12 non-power countries, you're ultimately creating an All-Star team. What we saw at the last World Cup is that creating two unconventional teams ruined the national teams experience.

Have an eight-to-ten team invitational, national teams only, and it will be great.

At any rate, the NHL is already planinng to be in China 2022.

 

[sandysan]

Yeah, "good" thing Gary is not letting me watch what I actually would want to watch.

then get the ioc to pay. no matter how much of a hockey fan you think you are, you are not entitled to the best players playing best ion best for free, in perpetuity.

you got it for 2 decades and are now all waaahhh-wahhhhing it. You likely could have had it again, if the IOC has not asked for further concessions from the league.

quelle freaking domage !

 

[sandysan]

Olypic games are games where all athletes participate. An arrogant local league not allowing it's players to go should be ignored and banned.

And you are so destroyed by Gary's propaganda that you are really resinging his stupid songs about how the IOC is responsible for anything. The NHL should kindly adk for permission to participate in the biggest sports event. They have no claims to make.

who would be responsible for banning a private league ? the same people who decide that company X makes too much money so we will seize it and used if for what we want ? That's not how it works, comrade.

 

[kabidjan18]

Yes.

 

[Mensch]

Yes because as a hockey fan it adds such an enjoyable element to an already enjoyable event. It’s going to be different without NHLers but I am still rooting hard for Canada. As they say it isn’t about the name on the back of the jersey it’s about the logo on the front.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

The NHL sucks.
And Bettman at the last minute said ...
"We will let the players go to the Olympics ... IF ... wait for it ... the NHLPA agrees to extend the CBA".
Nasty.

 

[SotasicA]

I don't like what the Winter Games have turned into. If only they had an international tournament with no connection to the IOC...

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

i dont really care if they go or dont go.

Id like to see a best on best event that isn't stanley cup though.

The gnitty gritty -- It is pretty bushleague that the NHL goes full Pejorative Slur into the "we're a business" mindset. It would be nice if billionaires had the balls to keep some integrity in the league and stand up for the quality and sportsmanship of the sport in general.

As it stands the league is playing political games and its going to cost players like Price a chance to match Brodeur for Gold medals. Or McDavid/Matthews/Laine the chance to further define their careers on international ice--not to mention other players that may not get a chance to participate at the Olympics at all now.

It would be one thing if they stopped altogether but "skipping one" to use as posturing or whatever is greedy and incompetent in some ways.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Yes, to me it means nothing, this is meant to be a best on best competition and you can't have that without the NHL.

Maybe Russia will actually medal this time

 

[Sentinel]

I am sad. I love best-on-best more than I like the Stanley Cup. Sure, Canada is still the only true superpower, but this is why all other nations play: to try and beat them.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

It'll be fun watching the NHL contradict all the reasons they gave for not going to these winter Olympics when they allow players to attend the ones in China.

Hard to feel sorry for the IOC though. Such a corrupt organization. The players are the only ones that actually represent the Olympic spirit.

 

[TrillMike]

I personally don't care mostly because of Brenden Morrow getting injured in the 2010 games. He was never the same after that.

 

[Mensch]

I personally don't care mostly because of Brenden Morrow getting injured in the 2010 games. He was never the same after that.

Are you sure?? because he had a career year in goals and the third best season of his career in points the following season.

 

[HanSolo]

Due to the fact that the World Cup of Hockey is a joke, the World Championships are a consolation competition, and no international tournament will ever carry the kind of prestige that comes with Olympic Gold, Silver, or Bronze the way the FIFA World Cup does...yes.

It bothers me that the best hockey players in the world won't be competing for the most prestigious international hockey prize.

But sadly the IOC isn't far off from FIFA in terms of crookedness/incompetence.

EDIT: In fact my interest in the winter games has dwindled dramatically as a result of the NHL's absence. I enjoy watching Alpine skiing, Half pipe, speed skating, figure skating, etc but I am not remotely as interested in that as hockey.

 

[Zorf]

The winter Olympics as a whole are starting to fall a little flat for me. Other than hockey, there's not a whole lot that is worth watching.

 

[cgf]

I care. Olympic hockey is now pointless, and we no longer have a best on best national tourney as the WHC misses out on many top NHLers and the World Cup of Hockey doesn't get the top KHLers. Better for the NHL not to have its players worry about the olympics in the middle of their season, but it does suck to lose one international tourney that actually got all of the best players.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

My stance still has not changed, I love best on best hockey. But I 100% understand the stance of the NHL and also how corrupt and ridiculous the IOC is. So while I would like to see NHL'ers at the Olympics, frankly I am not missing it because I understand why they are not there.

 

[Ninety7]

Yes. They took away Crosby-Mcdavid.

Screw you.

 

[BrockLobster]

I'm happy there's no 12 day NHL break.