Bettman Floats The Idea Of Ice Hockey At Summer Olympics?

[VainGretzky]

So you don't think that Paris, Tokyo and L.A. have figured out summer air conditioning?

Tokyo already has a rink that fits 19,000 for hockey and has hosted NHL exhibition games when you deal with any city over 5 million usually held by cities for Summer olympics they have rinks good enough for the games

 

[Riseonfire]

Yes please. Just give me best on best.

 

[Butch 19]

Bad idea for two reasons:

1) Do you really want to cut into the recovery/resting time of the most elite players every four years?
2) How many Summer Olympics destinations are really going to be good host venues or interested in building ice arenas?

1. yes
2. who cares - I'm watching on tv. And every major city already has an area large enough for an NHL rink. - likely they have 2+ arenas to accommodate basketball and hockey.

 

[MrGold]

Why not swap some other sports while we're at it?

* Rowing and kayaking on frozen lakes
* Slalom skiing on grassy hills
* Beach volleyball in the snow
* Cycling and weightlifting on ice
* Kenyans wearing their body weights in insulating outerwear while running the marathon in sub-freezing temperatures
* Usain Bolt defending his Olympic gold by running the 100m on the speed skating rink

 

[Uncle Rotter]

He's such a joke he has kept this league alive and brought back your franchise.

Oh? When was the NHL on its deathbed?

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Why does that matter? How is Wrestling, Badminton, Fencing, Gymnastics, etc a summer sport per se? They all take place indoors as well.

All Winter Olympic sports involve snow or ice.

 

[mikeyp24]

It makes too much sense but it won't happen because countries outside of Canada and the US will actually have great chances to win. It only helps the best countries. The Russians having the 2nd best league imo keeps them in it NHL or not.

 

[The Roy Of Ottawa]

This is not right!

 

[Ainec]

this is actually a good idea

come at me

 

[JETZZZ]

Id prefer it in February over August, but as long as it means best-on-best Olympic hockey returns, Im for it. Hockey and Baskateball games are played in the same multi purpose arenas, so its not like it would require its own separate arena.

 

[MajorLeafsFan]

LOL when does Brazil get a hockey team?

 

[Mike Lowry]

No other league in North America would shut down it's season to participate, yet hockey does and people think they are a joke for not doing it. Move basketball to the Winter Olympics, and it ends the NBA's participation.

You guys cry about no best on best, but yet complained about the World Cup of Hockey every chance you could

 

[JETZZZ]

No other league in North America would shut down it's season to participate, yet hockey does and people think they are a joke for not doing it. Move basketball to the Winter Olympics, and it ends the NBA's participation.

You guys cry about no best on best, but yet complained about the World Cup of Hockey every chance you could

It could have been best on best, but the NHL blew it. Team USA and Canada were both unable to select players 23 and under. I know, Canada probably would have only added McDavid, but this left the Americans with a much much weaker roster. Also 2 teams weren't even national teams. The ONLY thing the NHL got right with bringing the WCoH back was saying they were going to hold it consistently every 4 years instead of at random times, and it already looks like it wont happen in 2020.

 

[Spartachat]

No other league in North America would shut down it's season to participate, yet hockey does and people think they are a joke for not doing it. Move basketball to the Winter Olympics, and it ends the NBA's participation.

You guys cry about no best on best, but yet complained about the World Cup of Hockey every chance you could

I was actually quite excited for the WCoH until they brought in those darn gimmick teams. The Canada Cup in the 80s was great.

 

[ThirdManIn]

You know what I couldn't care less about? Which season hockey is being played in versus which season "hockey" brings to mind. If I get to see the best play against the best for medals, I'm all for that.

 

[57special]

LOL when does Brazil get a hockey team?

I'm down for the Brazilian Women's hockey team. Just imaging the uniforms right now...keyboards... getting kind of... sweaty...

 

[Voight]

Sure, if you make it Olympic Roller hockey

 

[hangman005]

Why do half the people seem to think that after moving hockey to the summer games, they are going to play it outside. We have things called arenas which we even use in winter to play hockey in.

 

[Spectra]

Stoping the NHL season for the Olympics is disruptive so I understand why they don't want to do it. Shame for the fans but the NHL is a business. If it takes moving hockey to the summer games to get the NHL involved it's a no-brainer. All the players will want to go and modern science and technology can figure out how to provide an indoor ice hockey arena during warm weather. California, Arizona and Florida are examples, I'm sure Europe and Asia can manage.

Good idea by Bettman given the circumstances. If it's between this or a gimmicky World Cup to see the best nations compete against each other, everyone interested in seeing that will be onboard with a summer Olympics option.

 

[Telos]

To be honest, even though it is wonky, if the IOC considers it, then it beats no Olympics... Better to have the players compete in the summer rather than not at all. Despite some exciting moments here and there, the Korean Olympics were a pretty big disappointment for men's hockey.

 

[Gabe Kupari]

All Winter Olympic sports involve snow or ice.

Weird .I play football and floor hockey and tennis in the winter. All indoors

 

[BigT2002]

Almost seems like quite a few folks forget that during the Summer Olympics, it actually is not Summer in those countries....

 

[NSHPreds1835]

Well it is played indoors, not sure host countries would be interested though.

If it means seeing the best play against the best again then I’m all for it.

Not to mention it would be a good place for the game to be promoted as more people tune into the summer Olympics.

You'd have basketball and soccer to contend with though in terms of attention.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

Weird .I play football and floor hockey and tennis in the winter. All indoors

None of which are Winter Olympic sports.

 

[Yarborough]

You'd have basketball and soccer to contend with though in terms of attention.

Yes, but at the same time it gives others not usually good at the summer olympics a competition to win.

I don’t think it would work but I wouldn’t mind it really.