Bettman: NHL wants to make another world cup, players Association seems to have no interest

JETZZZ

Registered User
Oct 27, 2010
747
455
Winnipeg Manitoba
Hockey in the summer Olympics? Yeah yeah logistics, snow/ice, arenas yadda yadda yadda

With a world cup NHL/NHLPA control all the revenues. Not so much with Olympics
At this point, Id take Summer Olympic ice hockey over a randomly scheduled World Cup of Hockey. Hell, the Womens ice hockey can stay in winter and get all the focus in 2022.

And yes, I know its all about the money, but it doesn't make it suck any less for the fans
 

Paperbagofglory

Registered User
Nov 15, 2010
5,557
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The Olympics are a thing of the past. Ripping off cities for billions of dollars is over. The IOC is corrupt and most cities picked as candidates to host have said no. The only countries that say yes are governments with corrupt politicians that steal from their own people. Come up with a better NHLPA funded event where they themselves pocket the money earned and say screw you NHL.

Gotta think outside the box and the world cup of hockey was not it, it was a corporate sham just like the Olympics have become.
 

Nino33

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
1,828
441
The Olympics are a thing of the past. Ripping off cities for billions of dollars is over. The IOC is corrupt and most cities picked as candidates to host have said no. The only countries that say yes are governments with corrupt politicians that steal from their own people. Come up with a better NHLPA funded event where they themselves pocket the money earned and say screw you NHL.

Gotta think outside the box and the world cup of hockey was not it, it was a corporate sham just like the Olympics have become.
I doubt the players are legally allowed to play in such a tournament while under NHL contract without the OK of their NHL team
 

Faterson

Delayed Live forever
Sep 18, 2012
3,653
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Bratislava
wishing something is true doesn't make it true; the players are businessmen, they're not in it for sport

Nonsense. Here you are projecting your own preconceptions on everyone. How on earth could you possibly know what's the motivation of any athlete in life, let alone all athletes as you claim? There are as many various motivations in life as there are people.

Right now in Slovakia, hockey players like Jozef Stümpel and Ladislav Nagy still play competitive hockey, with their NHL careers expired ages ago. Do they do it for the money? I don't think so. What a laughably "American" suggestion, where everything in life is seen and judged through the lense of dollars and nothing but dollars. It's much more likely they continue playing for the love of the game, not money.

In the neighboring country, the same can be said of Jaromír Jágr. Does he need more money? Definitely not. But he continues playing for the love of the game. Take Federer in tennis – same thing. He could have retired 10 years ago, well-provided with millions upon millions for generations to come. He did not retire.

Open your eyes. Everything on this planet and in people's lives does not revolve around your precious dollars. It's an American obsession to believe so, but the truth is elsewhere.
 

Nino33

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
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441
Nonsense. Here you are projecting your own preconceptions on everyone. How on earth could you possibly know what's the motivation of any athlete in life, let alone all athletes as you claim? There are as many various motivations in life as there are people.
I referenced only NHL players (the point of this thread) not all athletes.
I agree you can have your opinion on the motivations, but I can have mine too

Regarding player motivation, Ovechkin talked about the Olympics like you do, but then with his actions he choose the NHL/Stanley Cup (he's made millions, could have made millions more in Russia, could have won a gold..and choose the NHL/Stanley Cup, and may have celebrated more winning the Stanley Cup than any other hockey celebration ever)

AFAIK there were zero NHLers that acted in a way that would support your claim. That's not projection, that's what happened.

The NHL players did not make 2018 Olympic participation happen when they could have - if that doesn't show you I don't know what will (given a choice between NHL money and nationalism/Olympics and less money, but still rich/a professional player...the players didn't choose the Olympics. That's not projection, that's what happened.)

Maybe the NHLers missing the Olympics is new to you, but in my lifetime there's been more Olympics without the NHL than with it (also I've seen more Canada Cups/World Cups [not counting the abomination that was World Cup 2016!] than I've seen the Olympics with the NHL)

Best-on-best international competition is desirable; it doesn't have to be the Olympics. It might end up being so, but it doesn't have to, there's nothing special about the Olympics that makes it the only option (or even the best option), they can go back to the way they were before 1998
 

Nino33

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Jul 5, 2015
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Right now in Slovakia, hockey players like Jozef Stümpel and Ladislav Nagy still play competitive hockey, with their NHL careers expired ages ago. Do they do it for the money? I don't think so. What a laughably "American" suggestion, where everything in life is seen and judged through the lense of dollars and nothing but dollars. It's much more likely they continue playing for the love of the game, not money.
This thread's about NHLers/the NHL, and it's involvement in international hockey, and it's in the NHL Forum...I don't see how your story really relates

And I'm not American/don't live in the US

I have simply posted what I think is realistic/likely (doesn't mean I'm pro business/pro America).
I haven't posted what I wished would happen, but know won't (like I think you have).
 

Paperbagofglory

Registered User
Nov 15, 2010
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I doubt the players are legally allowed to play in such a tournament while under NHL contract without the OK of their NHL team
When the next lockout happens they should look into making that happen. Somewhere in europe as NHL owners wont let them use their buildings.
 

Seanaconda

Registered User
May 6, 2016
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When the next lockout happens they should look into making that happen. Somewhere in europe as NHL owners wont let them use their buildings.
Lmao no way the players give up something worth value to get to host a tournament in Europe during their vacation
 

Paperbagofglory

Registered User
Nov 15, 2010
5,557
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Lmao no way the players give up something worth value to get to host a tournament in Europe during their vacation
A lockout is a vacation? You realize there's another work stoppage coming don't you? A lot of bad blood between the PA and Owners.
 

Seanaconda

Registered User
May 6, 2016
9,546
3,318
A lockout is a vacation? You realize there's another work stoppage coming don't you? A lot of bad blood between the PA and Owners.
No they aren't going to negotiate for the privilege of running and hosting their own tournament during the summer(their vacation) and it would be dumb to do so because they would have to give up something to get it and the owners want to run one on their dime anyways .

And yes we all know a lockout is coming because the players wouldn't extend their contract and the players will just waste half a season and probably lose yet another lockout . And they will keep having lockouts till fehr is gone
 

Kshahdoo

Registered User
Mar 23, 2008
19,138
8,443
Moscow, Russia
I referenced only NHL players (the point of this thread) not all athletes.
I agree you can have your opinion on the motivations, but I can have mine too

Regarding player motivation, Ovechkin talked about the Olympics like you do, but then with his actions he choose the NHL/Stanley Cup (he's made millions, could have made millions more in Russia, could have won a gold..and choose the NHL/Stanley Cup, and may have celebrated more winning the Stanley Cup than any other hockey celebration ever)

AFAIK there were zero NHLers that acted in a way that would support your claim. That's not projection, that's what happened.

The NHL players did not make 2018 Olympic participation happen when they could have - if that doesn't show you I don't know what will (given a choice between NHL money and nationalism/Olympics and less money, but still rich/a professional player...the players didn't choose the Olympics. That's not projection, that's what happened.)

Maybe the NHLers missing the Olympics is new to you, but in my lifetime there's been more Olympics without the NHL than with it (also I've seen more Canada Cups/World Cups [not counting the abomination that was World Cup 2016!] than I've seen the Olympics with the NHL)

Best-on-best international competition is desirable; it doesn't have to be the Olympics. It might end up being so, but it doesn't have to, there's nothing special about the Olympics that makes it the only option (or even the best option), they can go back to the way they were before 1998

You underestimate money, that Olympics can bring to players. How popular was Oshie in America before Sochi games? And then the whole country found out, who he was thanks to that (in)famous shoot-out series against Russia. I bet, he's converted his popularity to quite a lot of money since that.
 

Nino33

Registered User
Jul 5, 2015
1,828
441
You underestimate money, that Olympics can bring to players. How popular was Oshie in America before Sochi games? And then the whole country found out, who he was thanks to that (in)famous shoot-out series against Russia. I bet, he's converted his popularity to quite a lot of money since that.
I don't suspect that it made that big a difference to Oshie myself (I suspect it's close to nothing compared to what he's paid by the NHL to play hockey), but I'm not an American/don't live in the US


Are you trying to promote the value of the Olympics by pointing out what they could make because of the Olympics, while quoting my pointing out Ovechkin chose the NHL over the Olympics despite money not being an issue?

So Ovechkin (and others) could have made even more than I imagine, and still stayed with the NHL/quest for the Stanley Cup...that minimizes the value of the Olympics even more to me

If top players cared as much for the Olympics over money/the NHL some would have left for the 2018 Olympics, and none did



For a player on Canada or the US , compared to what they make in the NHL, I really can't imagine the "money gained from Olympic notoriety" is much at all (probably nothing)
 

SwaggySpungo

Registered User
Oct 18, 2018
768
969
I've actually changed my mind on this. I used to be all for the "World Cup" and against the Olympics.

Now I feel the exact opposite.

The last World Cup was a total gimmick. I didn't even bother watching it, which would have been completely unthinkable in the past. "Team North America"? Give me a break. What a gimmick.
 
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sandysan

Registered User
Dec 7, 2011
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I've actually changed my mind on this. I used to be all for the "World Cup" and against the Olympics.

Now I feel the exact opposite.

The last World Cup was a total gimmick. I didn't even bother watching it, which would have been completely unthinkable in the past. "Team North America"? Give me a break. What a gimmick.
bigger gimmick the world cup with TWO made up teams, or the last olympics where it was men ( but only men from one country) against boys and has beens ?

Screw the olympics and the IOC. they don't do a GD thing to warrant being the only one to make bank on the backs of the best players on the planet. if you missed it the first time, screw em.
 

Grimmas

Registered User
Mar 13, 2009
251
44
Toronto, Ontario
With how popular the world cup is in football, you would think the NHL would want something similar for hockey.

Of course the random schedule and gimmicky teams ruins it.

Pick the top 32 countries in the world. Set the tournament every 4 years. (2 years before/after winter olympics) and have your fun. I would love this.
 

vorky

@vorkywh24
Jan 23, 2010
11,404
1,269
The NHL players are businessmen (the best European/Russian hockey players in the world among them!), as are the owners and the NHL (and the IOC, etc)

Thinking of adults and saying "no sport is a business" is like saying unicorns exist, it's just not accepting reality. I don't like that it is the way it is either, but wishing something is true doesn't make it true; the players are businessmen, they're not in it for sport


I recommend watching very young children play sports for what you're describing as sport
You are fundamentally wrong. Again.

The NHL players are employees btw.
 

bobbyking

Registered User
May 29, 2018
1,851
868
Nonsense. Here you are projecting your own preconceptions on everyone. How on earth could you possibly know what's the motivation of any athlete in life, let alone all athletes as you claim? There are as many various motivations in life as there are people.

Right now in Slovakia, hockey players like Jozef Stümpel and Ladislav Nagy still play competitive hockey, with their NHL careers expired ages ago. Do they do it for the money? I don't think so. What a laughably "American" suggestion, where everything in life is seen and judged through the lense of dollars and nothing but dollars. It's much more likely they continue playing for the love of the game, not money.

In the neighboring country, the same can be said of Jaromír Jágr. Does he need more money? Definitely not. But he continues playing for the love of the game. Take Federer in tennis – same thing. He could have retired 10 years ago, well-provided with millions upon millions for generations to come. He did not retire.

Open your eyes. Everything on this planet and in people's lives does not revolve around your precious dollars. It's an American obsession to believe so, but the truth is elsewhere.
False it's also a Candian obsession
 

bobbyking

Registered User
May 29, 2018
1,851
868
With how popular the world cup is in football, you would think the NHL would want something similar for hockey.

Of course the random schedule and gimmicky teams ruins it.

Pick the top 32 countries in the world. Set the tournament every 4 years. (2 years before/after winter olympics) and have your fun. I would love this.
Top 32 countries lmao
 

SwaggySpungo

Registered User
Oct 18, 2018
768
969
With how popular the world cup is in football, you would think the NHL would want something similar for hockey.

Of course the random schedule and gimmicky teams ruins it.

Pick the top 32 countries in the world. Set the tournament every 4 years. (2 years before/after winter olympics) and have your fun. I would love this.

32 international teams for hockey?

Can't wait to watch Team Jamaica vs. Team Canada in the round robin. Should be a close game.
 

Hanji

Registered User
Oct 14, 2009
3,153
2,637
Wisconsin
I referenced only NHL players (the point of this thread) not all athletes.
I agree you can have your opinion on the motivations, but I can have mine too

Regarding player motivation, Ovechkin talked about the Olympics like you do, but then with his actions he choose the NHL/Stanley Cup (he's made millions, could have made millions more in Russia, could have won a gold..and choose the NHL/Stanley Cup, and may have celebrated more winning the Stanley Cup than any other hockey celebration ever)

Misleading statement.
Despite Ovechkin's threats to play in the Olympics, he never had the option to choose between the Olympics and the Cup considering, once the NHL refused to participate, the IOC/IIHF banned all NHLers from playing in 2018.
 
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Hivemind

We're Touched
Oct 8, 2010
37,008
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Regarding player motivation, Ovechkin talked about the Olympics like you do, but then with his actions he choose the NHL/Stanley Cup (he's made millions, could have made millions more in Russia, could have won a gold..and choose the NHL/Stanley Cup, and may have celebrated more winning the Stanley Cup than any other hockey celebration ever)

What? The IIHF barred active NHL contracts from participating in the most recent Olympic games, so Ovechkin had no choice. Even if he left the NHL, he wasn't allowed to participate. When he signed his contract, the NHL was still actively participating in the Olympic games. He competed for Russia in the 2006, 2010, and 2014 games.
 

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