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

[pheasant]

Rather see the best players in the world ... Imagine if every sports couldn't take their best athletes? Olympics wouldn't be Olympics so why is it OK for hockey to send 2-3rd tier players?

And by the way I'm in training for the summer's Olympics. I don't receive any money and have to look for my own sponsorship and yet I'm still proud to represent my country.

Athletes are paid if they win a medal. (or where you rank) If my employers were to ask for any money in order to let me go to the Olympics, I would tell them to go **** themselves.

Why should the NHL be paid to send players? Tell every NHL players they won't be paid if they go (for the 3 weeks or so they'll be in South Korea) and I assure you they'll all accept it. The NHL is refusing per greed, they don't care about the league stoppage, or the fans they only care about the $$$.

Hey, you don't have to convince me. My exact words in my earlier post were:

"The NHL players deserve to go, and I hate the way the league handled the situation. [...] It's stupid that they aren't going."

But this thread isn't about if they should go, or why they should go, or who to blame for the fact they aren't going. This thread is about "do you care?" And I don't. I'm actually kinda happy about it.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Had forgotten the Olympics were this year, to be honest.

 

[NoMessi]

Yes. The 1998 Olympics are the reason why I became a hockey fan.

Same here.

 

[YEM]

everything aside, the most shameful part is Bettman's "we're definitely going to China in 2022 $$$" statement

 

[sandysan]

everything aside, the most shameful part is Bettman's "we're definitely going to China in 2022 $$$" statement

the nhl is going to china regardless of the IOC. And if the NHL have figured out a way to make $$$$$$$ from the olympics, you better never give Garry Betmman a turnip if you are the least bit squeamish.

its a PRIVATE LEAGUE, they get to make decisions that are good for business. they are not ( horrors of horrors) in the business of sating your desire to see the best players on the planet play while some disinterested third party ( pretending to be their "partner") is enriched.

and to that I say, it's about damn time ! and there is no shame in that.

 

[YEM]

its a PRIVATE LEAGUE, they get to make decisions that are good for business. they are not ( horrors of horrors) in the business of sating your desire to see the best players on the planet play while some disinterested third party ( pretending to be their "partner") is enriched.

entire post here is "duh" material
it's written as if the NHL has never allowed their players to participate in the Olympics before
a countless number of corporations engage in decisions that do not directly benefit them or their bottom line in order to engender goodwill, assist charities, etc, etc. there's almost always a 3rd party beneficiary.

 

[sandysan]

entire post here is "duh" material
it's written as if the NHL has never allowed their players to participate in the Olympics before
a countless number of corporations engage in decisions that do not directly benefit them or their bottom line in order to engender goodwill, assist charities, etc, etc. there's almost always a 3rd party beneficiary.

corporations/leagues that do this repeatedly, are not corporations/leagues for long.

And the NHL GIFTED its talent for 2 decades and now you are all Waahhh waahhhhhh because they wont agree to do it forever to their detriment.

The NHL allowed their players to go to the olympics for 2 decades in HOPES that it would benefit the league. the results are in, it didnt. not once. so you move on.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome has a clinical definition. You want the NHL to act this way to sate your sense of entitlement ? I'm glad they said " thanks but no"

 

[berlin]

I’m glad, I don’t want anybody on my team getting injured. Plus I want them here focused on the season. The cup means waaaay more to me than an Olympic medal.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Rather see the best players in the world ... Imagine if every sports couldn't take their best athletes? Olympics wouldn't be Olympics so why is it OK for hockey to send 2-3rd tier players?

And by the way I'm in training for the summer's Olympics. I don't receive any money and have to look for my own sponsorship and yet I'm still proud to represent my country.

Athletes are paid if they win a medal. (or where you rank) If my employers were to ask for any money in order to let me go to the Olympics, I would tell them to go **** themselves.

Why should the NHL be paid to send players? Tell every NHL players they won't be paid if they go (for the 3 weeks or so they'll be in South Korea) and I assure you they'll all accept it. The NHL is refusing per greed, they don't care about the league stoppage, or the fans they only care about the $$$.

Are you under a contractual obligation that is a 100% guaranteed contract to a sports league? These players are. The players also were given a reasonable solution toward going, the owners wanted a 2 year extension on the CBA for continued participation in the Olympics. The players association turned it down. In the future if the players want the right to go to international competition, since they obviously want to renegotiate the CBA need to make it a part of the new CBA that each player is allowed to put or not put a international competition clause in their contract. I have spoken about this before that it could be worded around a way that if a player opts in for international competition then he can go, but he 100% pays or arranges for his own travel, accommodations, and insurance. And if said player is hurt then his contract in the league is frozen without pay or hits insurance for the team or league. And won't get a cent of any pay or bonus via the NHL until his skates hit the ice again for a game and their salary will be completely pro rated to the day they can play again. Also no league freeze, there will not be a Olympic break the owners and NHL hate it to their core.

This will incentivize going to the competition and make it a negotiating point. Players who are stars but do not view international competition as a priority won't opt for it and use it as a point to get higher salary or longer term, those that view it as a priority can take a hit in term or salary to have their opt in. Other players whether they are not in that top end talent or are depth players can opt out and maximize their value by opting out of it outright. I know personally if I were of that level of a star player, I would completely opt out of international competition and maximize my guaranteed pro money to its maximum degree. Others, would choose different. Is it perfect? Far from it. But it is better than the option there is now. It is a healthy compromise for both sides to get what they want. The stars that want to play for their country can play for their countries if it is what they so choose, but it will be a negotiated portion of their contract. And those that do not, can choose not too and maximize their value.

Its a win - win.