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

[sandysan]

Can't ****ing believe this guy is in the Hall of Fame. Just give the players the Olympics. You know they will want it.

It's just the Leafs luck that they finally have an amazing team and they are 99.9% going to miss a full season due to yet another lockout.

how much do they want it ?
enough to give the owners something for allowing the players under contract to participate ?
apparently not

 

[TheTotalPackage]

worse than the last olympics ?
Yeah I don't think so.

Don't see where I said anything about the Olympics there.

 

[JianYang]

I think the "world cup" also lost some luster after the last one. The way it was set up had a very exhibition type of feeling rather than serious international tournament.

I won't deny that this is part negotiation tactic, but I actually do believe that the players don't look upon the world cup/ Canada cup as fondly as they once did.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

It could be even better today if done right. Countries like Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and even Slovenia can ice legit teams.

A World Cup consisting of a bunch of teams from different countries. What a crazy, crazy concept.

Only the NHL could have screwed that up.

 

[sandysan]

Can't ****ing believe this guy is in the Hall of Fame. Just give the players the Olympics. You know they will want it.

It's just the Leafs luck that they finally have an amazing team and they are 99.9% going to miss a full season due to yet another lockout.

Just because the last Olympics was a bit boring for fans (even as a Canadian fan I found it boring) doesn't mean it was a gimmick/farce.

The next Olympics could be the most tightly contested ever.

Americans will have one of the best teams they have ever iced with guys like Jones, Werenski, McAvoy, Matthews, Eichel, Gaudreau etc.Canada will have their usual stars + McDavid, Marner etc. Finland will have Laine, Raantanen, Aho, Barkov etc.

World Cup just doesn't have the same feel.​

and if the owners don't release the players they have under contract, none of those players will be at the olympics.

Its a real shame that of all those magnificent players you listed, so many of them play in a league other than the NHL. A crying shame. Because that immense amount of talent could NEVER be assembled ANYWHERE but under the 5 rings.

its a lose lose for fans everywhere.

 

[NoMessi]

This is pretty well documented. The NHL cannot use any media that is related to the Olympics - no pictures, video, advertisement. How is the NHL supposed to grow when they cannot directly associate their players with the Olympics? Also, the last time NHL players were in the Olympics several players had season ending injuries. If the NHL is getting no revenue from the Olympics then why should they foot the salary insurance bill?

If you want anyone to blame for this mess you can blame the IOC.


Plenty of reasons for NHL to pass on Olympics

"While the IOC has reaped rewards from NHL participation, the NHL has not seen increases in ratings or sales. The NHL has been allowed to capture its Olympic moments in words only, not in video or images. No highlights of Sidney Crosby's golden goal for Canada against the United States in Vancouver. No highlights of T.J. Oshie's shootout heroics for the United States against Russia in Sochi. You name it, the NHL hasn't been able to show it. How does that help promote the League or grow the game?"

I actually agree that its strange that NHL arent allowed to show content from the Olympics. That said, where do you think they say Crosby plays? Where do you think they say his stats come from? That is prime promoting if anything having a trusted trained hockey expert saying "one of the best in the world, captained 3 Stanley Cup winning teams and are now here to win with Canada". You then get to see Crosby showing off a backhand and edgework not ever seen in SHL

 

[sandysan]

Don't see where I said anything about the Olympics there.

in the level of "farceiness" the olympics with has beens and never weres is pretty much at the top. a worse world shampionships.

The world cup probably didnt go as well as the league wanted, but they got something for their time. the havent gotten a dime for 20 years of olympic particpation.

so there it that.

 

[sandysan]

I actually agree that its strange that NHL arent allowed to show content from the Olympics. That said, where do you think they say Crosby plays? Where do you think they say his stats come from? That is prime promoting if anything having a trusted trained hockey expert saying "one of the best in the world, captained 3 Stanley Cup winning teams and are now here to win with Canada". You then get to see Crosby showing off a backhand and edgework not ever seen in SHL

yeah the audio descritions of Tj oshie's shootout magnificence kept hordes glued to their radios ( I mean TV's)

the NHL got such a huge bump from that !

 

[RefalancheStillLose]

I don't get why everyone wants NHL players at the Olympics, the most recent one with a mix of amateurs/non-nhl pro's was great. But hey here's a novel idea, lets just take all the players who already play in the NHL, but instead of leaving them on their current team we'll for 2 weeks only shuffle things up, instead have them play with teammates born within the same geographic boundaries and have more boring version of NHL hockey, because instead of having relatively balanced teams, where just about anyone can win at any given time, we'll have two or three super power teams, Have a compelling game that might go to Overtime, Never fear the boring ass shootout is here, but don't worry you're going to see the same 2 people take every shot in it because reasons, Oh and we'll disrupt the season that actually matters to make this happen, and all the players that play for teams you actually care about for more than 2 weeks every 4yrs, yeah they get to risk injury for all of this to happen. Isn't it great.!
The World Cup sucks for the same reasons.

 

[Burke the Legend]

I think the players like the idea of a February spring break more than the concept of the sacred Olympic tourney. The Olympic roster guys get the Olympic hero pageantry, and the starboy olympic village experience, while the majority of NHL players who aren't on Olympic rosters get to go on a 2 week Caribbean bender. No major league comes close to the NHL when it comes to vacation days around holidays (Christmas break, Thanksgiving break, bye week, all star break.), the boys sure love their holidays.

 

[sandysan]

I think the players like the idea of a February spring break more than the concept of the sacred Olympic tourney. The Olympic roster guys get the Olympic hero pageantry, and the starboy olympic village experience, while the majority of NHL players who aren't on Olympic rosters get to go on a 2 week Caribbean bender. No major league comes close to the NHL when it comes to vacation days around holidays (Christmas break, Thanksgiving break, bye week, all star break.), the boys sure love their holidays.

I'm sure the boys do. the owners on the other hand, not so much.

 

[sandysan]

I don't get why everyone wants NHL players at the Olympics, the most recent one with a mix of amateurs/non-nhl pro's was great. But hey here's a novel idea, lets just take all the players who already play in the NHL, but instead of leaving them on their current team we'll for 2 weeks only shuffle things up, instead have them play with teammates born within the same geographic boundaries and have more boring version of NHL hockey, because instead of having relatively balanced teams, where just about anyone can win at any given time, we'll have two or three super power teams, Have a compelling game that might go to Overtime, Never fear the boring ass shootout is here, but don't worry you're going to see the same 2 people take every shot in it because reasons, Oh and we'll disrupt the season that actually matters to make this happen, and all the players that play for teams you actually care about for more than 2 weeks every 4yrs, yeah they get to risk injury for all of this to happen. Isn't it great.!
The World Cup sucks for the same reasons.

many people respond in the affirmative ! so long as its owners, and only the owners who get soaked,

 

[Nino33]

I get why the PA hates the World Cup but do people wonder why the NHL hates the Olympics?

-Disrupts their regular season every 4 years.
-Is governed by another organization that tends to be rampant with corruption.
-Games can take place while the NA population is sleeping.

At least with the World Cup it takes place in the offseason and likely in North America.

That slow paced, ultra defensive, big ice hockey isn't the best for selling the NHL/hockey either

Would the NHL have shunned a 2026 Olympics in Calgary had that bid was approved by the city and eventual won?

Maybe, I could easily see it, as I have before in 1988
Canada actually had a national team back then! 1987–88 Canada men's national ice hockey team - Wikipedia

Getting cities/governments willing to pay for the Olympics is getting to be almost impossible; with the 2022 bidding process only two options were left for the IOC, China or Kazakhstan & now for 2026 there's options left again only two options left (Sweden/Italy) Calgary votes against Winter Olympics bid

 

[sandysan]

That slow paced, ultra defensive, big ice hockey isn't the best for selling the NHL/hockey either




Maybe, I could easily see it, as I have before in 1988
Canada actually had a national team back then! 1987–88 Canada men's national ice hockey team - Wikipedia

Getting cities/governments willing to pay for the Olympics is getting to be almost impossible; with the 2022 bidding process only two options were left for the IOC, China or Kazakhstan & now for 2026 there's options left again only two options left (Sweden/Italy) Calgary votes against Winter Olympics bid

from your lips to god's ears !

 

[Nino33]

I think the players like the idea of a February spring break more than the concept of the sacred Olympic tourney. The Olympic roster guys get the Olympic hero pageantry, and the starboy olympic village experience, while the majority of NHL players who aren't on Olympic rosters get to go on a 2 week Caribbean bender. No major league comes close to the NHL when it comes to vacation days around holidays (Christmas break, Thanksgiving break, bye week, all star break.), the boys sure love their holidays.

Will the boys also like playing the same amount of games in even less time? (2014 Olympic break was 17 days)

 

[Lebowski]

I can't take the World Cup seriously as far as best-on-best tournaments go with all its gimmicks. I'm not saying the entertainment value isn't there, but it just can't be put on the same level as the Olympics.

There's a certain "sanctity" about the Olympics. It doesn't care about being fair to smaller countries. It doesn't care about the entertainment value of an under-23 team stacking up against veterans. It's not for the show. It's to settle who's best and nothing more, and I respect that a whole lot more than whatever the NHL is trying to achieve with the World Cup.

 

[3074326]

I don't get why everyone wants NHL players at the Olympics, the most recent one with a mix of amateurs/non-nhl pro's was great. But hey here's a novel idea, lets just take all the players who already play in the NHL, but instead of leaving them on their current team we'll for 2 weeks only shuffle things up, instead have them play with teammates born within the same geographic boundaries and have more boring version of NHL hockey, because instead of having relatively balanced teams, where just about anyone can win at any given time, we'll have two or three super power teams, Have a compelling game that might go to Overtime, Never fear the boring ass shootout is here, but don't worry you're going to see the same 2 people take every shot in it because reasons, Oh and we'll disrupt the season that actually matters to make this happen, and all the players that play for teams you actually care about for more than 2 weeks every 4yrs, yeah they get to risk injury for all of this to happen. Isn't it great.!
The World Cup sucks for the same reasons.

I pretty much disagree in general. It's like other people have different opinions or something. And based on the outrage when NHLers were removed from the Olympics, it seems that I'm not alone in wanting NHL players in the Olympics. As an Olympics fan, I want the best athletes there. As a hockey fan, I want to see the best of the best play each other. It's really not hard to understand why people want this, "boring" games or not.

It's pretty easy to make something sound bad when you highlight all the bad things and casually forget to mention that it's a tournament with the best players in the world all in it.

 

[Harmonica1]

The fact that they banned NHL players from 2018 Olympics from the players really diminshes the previous NA Olympic medals. Now that example Finland would possibly have their strongest ever, my appreciation for players like Gretzky, Lemieux and Crosby and their medals got slightly lesser. It's the attitude, hmm not as strong, lets not allow anybody, lets milk with WC who interests nobody outside the NA. Disappointed.

 

[sandysan]

Will the boys also like playing the same amount of games in even less time? (2014 Olympic break was 17 days)

the boys are obviously going to ask the owners to reduce the season to 70 games and for the owneres to willingly give up the gate for 6 home games ( in a gate driven legaue) to facilitate the players desire to participate in the olympics.

i mean if the expectation for the last 20 years was " no new revenue" , how much of a stretch is it to go " less old revenue"?

 

[Pilky01]

The NHL pretending like they care about a "World Cup" is very disingenuous.

 

[sandysan]

The NHL pretending like they care about a "World Cup" is very disingenuous.

why wouldn't they care ? they run it.

 

[Pilky01]

why wouldn't they care ? they run it.

Yes the NHL cares alot about the very important World Cup of Hockey.

I'll never forget where I was when Team Canada defeated the nation of "Europe but not Sweden, Finland, Russia or the Czech Republic" to claim global hockey supremacy.

 

[Lebowski]

Yes the NHL cares alot about the very important World Cup of Hockey.

I'll never forget where I was when Team Canada defeated the nation of "Europe but not Sweden, Finland, Russia or the Czech Republic" to claim global hockey supremacy.

They still care about the money.

The World Cup is mostly all about the money.

 

[MessierII]

in the level of "farceiness" the olympics with has beens and never weres is pretty much at the top. a worse world shampionships.

The world cup probably didnt go as well as the league wanted, but they got something for their time. the havent gotten a dime for 20 years of olympic particpation.

so there it that.

That’s non sense Olympic hockey draws millions of casual fans. Look at that feel good story about the team in Africa and how stoked they were to meet Crosby. Those guys hadn’t ever watched a hockey game before the 2010 Olympics now they have a team in Africa.

The world watches the Olympics. It brings nhl players into the international spot light. Only existing hockey fans payed any attention to the World Cup.

 

[Lebowski]

in the level of "farceiness" the olympics with has beens and never weres is pretty much at the top. a worse world shampionships.

The world cup probably didnt go as well as the league wanted, but they got something for their time. the havent gotten a dime for 20 years of olympic particpation.

so there it that.

There's more than just money that plays into it. It's about growing the sport on an international scale.