NHL is damaging its reputation with useless ASG and missing Olympics

[Mike Jones]

The amount of players refusing to participate in the ASG is becoming pretty overwhelming.

It’s absolutely obvious there’s very few people desiring to watch Kreider vs Bertuzzi vs Tkachuk figure skating with sticks while most fans suffer without real hockey for almost 10 days.

Now, what every hockey fan in the world is waiting for is the best on best Olympics hockey.

The ratings in the USA were amazing for Russia vs USA game despite the early game start.

The NHL needs to abolish the All Star Game whatsoever and replace it with true ASG happening once in four years.

I agree completely. I don't pay any attention to the all star game whatsoever. The league and players should just keep playing the regular season and get the Stanley Cup playoffs over a week or two earlier.

 

[Burke the Legend]

And speaking of "wanting Andersen to play 5 extra games for Denmark". Im guessing some sort of Danish hockey-federation/club has spent some money on his development, before he got conscripted by the NHL. Shouldnt their interests matter as well?

No, people aren't slaves. Denmark doesn't have some kind of lifelong lordship over a guy because he skated in arenas there as a kid. I really don't get why hockey fans keep bringing up this concept that hockey players are national property. Would you say the same about someone who went to high school & university in one state/province then graduated and took a job and moved to another state/province?

 

[gentlemanofleisure76]

NHL All Star game is a complete waste of time. They should be the first major league to get rid of it, but like the NBA they should have a mid-year tournament. 32 team, single elimination to be done over a 2 week span. Winning franchise gets an extra 1st round pick they must trade by the trade deadline or forfeit ( would be pick # 33), winning players get to share 3 million dollars, but most importantly, the team that wins gets the automatic 1 seed in their conference/Division no matter where they finish in the standings for the playoffs.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Yikes, you really have some serious issues with the NHL. I'll admit it's not perfect, and you make some valid points. As a Finnish fan, I would expect you to prefer international play. Congrats on your recent success, by the way.

But many hockey fans disagree with you. The NHL playoffs are more exciting than the Olympics, in my opinion. For most top NA players winning a Stanley Cup is the ultimate goal, and international play is a nice bonus. However, for guys playing in other leagues that is different. That's why a Finnish team of non NHL players can win a world championship even though they aren't as talented on paper. Also, the teams only practice together a few times before the Olympics so the teamwork is not at the same level of pro leagues.

I get it, you are a proud European and you can prefer international play if you want to. But you should be angry at the Olympic committee, not the NHL for taking away NHL players in the Olympics.

We're clearly disagreeing here on the importance of the NHL as a whole, and I do enjoy the NHL playoffs my fair share, but I have to correct you on the bolded text.
Do not talk about something just because you have a slight or so-so knowledge on a matter, I have found out the hard way that it mostly just blows up in your face.

The Finnish team did not win because they cherish the WC by default as something more attainable than eg. playing in the NHL. That alone does not warrant any kind of success. This team was brought together way before the WC started and were ridiculed all over Finnish social media for how bad they were perceived to be before the games. They simply got fed up with that notion and along with a great coach, came together to win against some really impressive rosters 3 times in a row in the knockout stage. They had something to prove, mostly to the domestic crowd, but as the games progressed, they clearly wanted to show that they could be the better team present on the ice.

There also is no such thing as a ''proud European''. We aren't a nation. We are a continent, many different nations with completely different origin stories and cultures, just like Africa. I'm a proud Finn to some extent, but wouldn't call myself a fanatic who defends their country for better and for worse.

/sidetrack

 

[Eisen]

I honestly think that people who criticize the NHL for not letting players go to the Olympics are completely clueless for who the actual bad guy in that situation is. NHLers aren't going to the Olympics because the IOC is run by a bunch of corrupt pieces of ****. The NHL doesn't participate in the Olympics anymore because the Olympics expect the NHL teams to foot the bill for all costs and risks while the Olympics gets all of the profit. There is literally no upside for the NHL going to the Olympics.

People either don't really know what's going on there or they're blinded by dumb patriotism. I'd also throw out that I like the Olympics dramatically more without NHLers than with NHLers. Do you know how fun it was to watch Germany nearly pull an upset on Russia in the Gold Medal game? That was downright awesome hockey.

I don't care if there are NHLers in the Olympics or not. But I'd like to relativise that argument. The NHL got the same deal that every other league got and the IOC is, in principle, a non-profit organisation. The profits go to the sports.

 

[sandysan]

All star games are for kids..... mostly...

and the team who is hosting who gets a huge financial boost and the NHL carries a lot of the water for the "show" that is pretty much for their market alone. which is why, regardless of the product on the ice at the ASG, every owner would jump at the chance to host it.

 

[sandysan]

I don't care if there are NHLers in the Olympics or not. But I'd like to relativise that argument. The NHL got the same deal that every other league got and the IOC is, in principle, a non-profit organisation. The profits go to the sports.

and to graft, dont forget the graft and the per diems for the delgates and other VIP's.

and if the ioc is soooooo set on being consistent, why prey tell did they completely DROP their long adhered to ( and punitively and selectively enforced) requirement for amateurism.

" We don't want commercialism to interfere with amateur sport". To accomplish this, we now let in pros in order to draw eyes and have multi billion broadcast and sponsorship deals but when the very people we let in to draw eyes ( the draw) ask for a small piece of the pie, we pull our pockets out, cry poor and then scoot off to another 10 000 dollar dinner laughing all the way. suckers one and all.

Asking the NHL to do what everyone else does to the unabashedly corrupt IOC is lunacy. The NHL, as the premier team sport in the winter olympics, has finally said that the only model that the IOC will allow is inherently unjust and there is no incentive for the nhl to continue funneling money into a " partner" that doesn't give a crap about the NHL or the game.

I hope, of all hopes, that the " other sports" follow the NHL's lead.

screw the ioc

 

[Reality Czech]

We're clearly disagreeing here on the importance of the NHL as a whole, and I do enjoy the NHL playoffs my fair share, but I have to correct you on the bolded text.
Do not talk about something just because you have a slight or so-so knowledge on a matter, I have found out the hard way that it mostly just blows up in your face.

The Finnish team did not win because they cherish the WC by default as something more attainable than eg. playing in the NHL. That alone does not warrant any kind of success. This team was brought together way before the WC started and were ridiculed all over Finnish social media for how bad they were perceived to be before the games. They simply got fed up with that notion and along with a great coach, came together to win against some really impressive rosters 3 times in a row in the knockout stage. They had something to prove, mostly to the domestic crowd, but as the games progressed, they clearly wanted to show that they could be the better team present on the ice.

There also is no such thing as a ''proud European''. We aren't a nation. We are a continent, many different nations with completely different origin stories and cultures, just like Africa. I'm a proud Finn to some extent, but wouldn't call myself a fanatic who defends their country for better and for worse.

/sidetrack

I stand by my comments. The Finns were able to win because they played together as a team, not just a bunch of guys put together just a few days before the tournament. That's what I meant. That's how the Olympics usually work. Teams often don't even take the first few matches seriously because they know the only thing that matters is making it to the quarterfinals. Sure, the medal round can be exciting but I'll take the NHL playoffs any day of the week.

And yes, I'm aware that not all Europeans are the same but they tend to enjoy the international tournaments more than NA fans who follow the NHL. I only meant proud of their national teams, not talking about patriotism in general. It must be hard to see your to players so often leave for the NHL, but I assume they do for fame, money and to prove themselves in the best league in the world.

But you should focus your aggression on the IOC and their greed instead of the NHL and its fans. Don't shoot the messenger. I wish they could make a fair agreement to send players to the Olympics, but your issues with the NHL have nothing to do with that.

 

[Eisen]

and to graft, dont forget the graft and the per diems for the delgates and other VIP's.

and if the ioc is soooooo set on being consistent, why prey tell did they completely DROP their long adhered to ( and punitively and selectively enforced) requirement for amateurism.

" We don't want commercialism to interfere with amateur sport". To accomplish this, we now let in pros in order to draw eyes and have multi billion broadcast and sponsorship deals but when the very people we let in to draw eyes ( the draw) ask for a small piece of the pie, we pull our pockets out, cry poor and then scoot off to another 10 000 dollar dinner laughing all the way. suckers one and all.

Asking the NHL to do what everyone else does to the unabashedly corrupt IOC is lunacy. The NHL, as the premier team sport in the winter olympics, has finally said that the only model that the IOC will allow is inherently unjust and there is no incentive for the nhl to continue funneling money into a " partner" that doesn't give a crap about the NHL or the game.

I hope, of all hopes, that the " other sports" follow the NHL's lead.

screw the ioc

I know they are corrupt. But I doubt that they said they wouldn't pay because they are poor. And it's a damn good thing amateurism was dropped. Because that would mean that only the upper 10000 could participate. German athletes all have alibi jobs with the military or the police. They are pro in everything but name. It's like that for many countries. And they give more craps about the game than the NHL. They at least give money back to the sport federations. The NHL just fills its own pocket.

 

[HisIceness]

Of all the All-Star games, the NHL is by far my favorite. The Pro Bowl sucks, the MLB ASG is meh, and the NBA is more about the celebrities sitting courtside than the athletes on the floor.

The no-Olympics is what it is. I understand fans wanting it but I also hate(d) how the season basically "freezes" over for 3 weeks. I often thought the first few games back were not very enjoyable, everyone who didn't participate is getting their legs back under them.

 

[sandysan]

I know they are corrupt. But I doubt that they said they wouldn't pay because they are poor. And it's a damn good thing amateurism was dropped. Because that would mean that only the upper 10000 could participate. German athletes all have alibi jobs with the military or the police. They are pro in everything but name. It's like that for many countries. And they give more craps about the game than the NHL. They at least give money back to the sport federations. The NHL just fills its own pocket.

so they give back money to sports federations who do what with it ?

they give it to the IIHF who, instead of using it to grow the game say that they will be the ones to pick up the insurance for NHL players.

So to cowtow to the IOC, the IIHF's plan was to siphon already meager dollars out of developing the game. and into the hands of insurance companies to appease the iioc ? I am glad that the NHL told them to go to hell.

And the NHL is a god damned private league. their JOB, like ANY other private company, is to make money. its not to develop the game. Even with that said, the NHL ( its owners and its players) have done a HELL of a lot more ( including giving away talent for two decades for free) that the IIHF ever has who insists on having the world shampionships during the SCP and who will do anything to stick it to the NHL even if there is no benefit.

Why are they poor ? Kids hockey in canada is subsidized locally, communities pay for the sheets. Volunteers who give up innumerable opportunities to help youth hockey exclipse what and the IIHF have done for extant markets. so some fat ass in lausanne gets more mustache wax.

You run a business ( and make no mistake the ioc IS a business no matter what the nationalistic chest thumpers tell you) you PAY THE TALENT. instead of asking why the NHL is the only league who has balked at this exploitive arragement, why don't you ask the IOC why they ( along with the NCAA who can at least fool the rubes with the " they are getting an education") are the only company on the planet that pays the talent ZERO dollars and ZERO cents and gets ALL the revenue from sporting events that ONLY have value based on the draw.

I hope to hell that the NHL ( and other leagues) keep telling the ioc to get bent, and then no one cares whose country fourth and fifth level talents win what amounts to a gusssied up beer league game.

screw the ioc and their enablers

 

[ThatAvsGamer]

Nothing of note. At best they have a moment and they will get long-term endorsements out of it. It doesn't really matter for Crosby, because he had great ones, to begin with, but someone like Paul Henderson will get paid invites to fundraisers and such forever due to his moment.

Most NHL players playing in the olympics would already have endorsements that the NHL doesn't profit over? What's your point?

 

[geisterpanthers]

Kids dont give a damn about the ASG.

 

[dubey]

Kids dont give a damn about the ASG.

Are you a kid expert

 

[93LEAFS]

Most NHL players playing in the olympics would already have endorsements that the NHL doesn't profit over? What's your point?

Endorsements generally don't risk injury and require you to pay insurance for to protect yourself against damages. If the NHL sees no long-term boost in sending their players to the Olympics it makes no sense to allow them to go, unless they gain something in collective bargaining. The players aren't willing to trade anything of value to go.

 

[Steve]

I don’t think it hurts the NHL but I’d say it definitely hurts Hockey. The ASG is a waste of time IMO although some like it. The Olympics are great IMO and the audience is potentially massive.

 

[Fataldogg]

The ASG makes money for the league and promotes NHL hockey and fan interaction with players.

They Olympics costs the league and owners money, interrupts the season decreasing gate revenue, and now the IOC/ IIHF is declining to even insure the players against injury. The IOC even refuses to let the NHL use gifs or photos from their Olympic participation in any advertising which negates the possibility of the league getting any benefit at all from allowing participation while bearing 100% of the risk. And that's all before you get to what a horribly corrupt organization the IOC is.


Yes, in a vacuum many would prefer Olympics, but it's pretty easy to see why the NHL is sticking w/ the status quo.

I mean, in fairness, the Olympics gets far more exposure than the All Star Game or Stanley Cup Finals for that matter.

Canada vs USA gold medal game garnered over 29 million viewers. That isnt good exposure for the NHL? If Patrick Kane scored the game winning goal, and USA won the gold, it would have worked wonders advancing the game in the United States. Patrick Kane would have been a household name.

So many people watch the Olympics. Sure, there are risks, and for owners it doesnt make total sense, but from a big picture perspective, there is nothing the sport can do to get more exposure than the Olympics.

 

[LPHabsFan]

I mean, in fairness, the Olympics gets far more exposure than the All Star Game or Stanley Cup Finals for that matter.

Canada vs USA gold medal game garnered over 29 million viewers. That isnt good exposure for the NHL? If Patrick Kane scored the game winning goal, and USA won the gold, it would have worked wonders advancing the game in the United States. Patrick Kane would have been a household name.

So many people watch the Olympics. Sure, there are risks, and for owners it doesnt make total sense, but from a big picture perspective, there is nothing the sport can do to get more exposure than the Olympics.

The reason none of those numbers matter is because there is no tangible way for the NHL to take that momentum from the Olympics and transfer it to the NHL. Why? Because they don't have media rights. That's what this is all about for the NHL. Does the insurance cost a lot? Absolutely. But the NHL would gladly pay for all or part of it if there was an agreement on media rights. That could be either a percentage of the advertising money specifically for certain hockey events and/or the ability to use images/video from the Olympics in NHL broadcasts/promotions/advertisements.

Remember T.J. Socchi? NHL couldn't do ANYTHING with that other say T.J. Socchi and hope that the viewers would themselves make the connection between the Olympics and his NHL team.

Aside from that, on a personal level, I hope that they don't go to the next Olympics just like I'm happy that they didn't go to the last. All of the games were/will be overnight or at 7 a.m. when I'm driving to/arriving to work and therefore unable to really watch them. Talk to me when they're in North America or Europe when it's a bit easier to catch the events.

And that's the other aspect about some of these Olympics. Even the ability for NHL fans to watch their favorite players or National Team is very low which is another negative in the eyes of NHL owners. Why would they stop their league and all the issues that come with it when their fans can't even enjoy the results.

 

[SwaggySpungo]

NHL All Star game is a complete waste of time. They should be the first major league to get rid of it, but like the NBA they should have a mid-year tournament. 32 team, single elimination to be done over a 2 week span. Winning franchise gets an extra 1st round pick they must trade by the trade deadline or forfeit ( would be pick # 33), winning players get to share 3 million dollars, but most importantly, the team that wins gets the automatic 1 seed in their conference/Division no matter where they finish in the standings for the playoffs.

Holy crap that is a bad idea.

 

[sandysan]

Are you a kid expert

Are you Andy Sutton?

 

[sandysan]

I mean, in fairness, the Olympics gets far more exposure than the All Star Game or Stanley Cup Finals for that matter.

Canada vs USA gold medal game garnered over 29 million viewers. That isnt good exposure for the NHL? If Patrick Kane scored the game winning goal, and USA won the gold, it would have worked wonders advancing the game in the United States. Patrick Kane would have been a household name.

So many people watch the Olympics. Sure, there are risks, and for owners it doesnt make total sense, but from a big picture perspective, there is nothing the sport can do to get more exposure than the Olympics.

This isn't luge. Exposure a week every 4 years and not a day in between is no way to run a league.

There is no big picture. The NHL did precisely what you want for 2 Decades and it never translated to increased exposure.

It's a failed idea.

It's time to move on

 

[General Zodd]

The NHL has sunk below the NBA for me. The player's in hockey go through the motion most nights during the regular season and if it's not a division rival or a top team then I am not really interested to be honest. I mean who the f*** wants to watch Florida or Buffalo anyways? Stopping participation in the Olympics really lowered my interest in hockey. Nothing like watching the best on best. The World Cup doesn't quite cut it really. And I have zero interest in an all-star game. Besides the Raps present a way better in game experience where fans actually cheer.

 

[93LEAFS]

I don’t think it hurts the NHL but I’d say it definitely hurts Hockey. The ASG is a waste of time IMO although some like it. The Olympics are great IMO and the audience is potentially massive.

Except after 4 Olympics, including two that timed well for North American viewers it didn't increase the NHL ratings long-term. A lot more people watch Luge during the Olympics then they will any other time during a 4 year span, doesn't mean they become luge enthusiasts.

 

[sandysan]

Except after 4 Olympics, including two that timed well for North American viewers it didn't increase the NHL ratings long-term. A lot more people watch Luge during the Olympics then they will any other time during a 4 year span, doesn't mean they become luge enthusiasts.

Quit stealing my material!

 

[Eisen]

so they give back money to sports federations who do what with it ?

they give it to the IIHF who, instead of using it to grow the game say that they will be the ones to pick up the insurance for NHL players.

So to cowtow to the IOC, the IIHF's plan was to siphon already meager dollars out of developing the game. and into the hands of insurance companies to appease the iioc ? I am glad that the NHL told them to go to hell.

And the NHL is a god damned private league. their JOB, like ANY other private company, is to make money. its not to develop the game. Even with that said, the NHL ( its owners and its players) have done a HELL of a lot more ( including giving away talent for two decades for free) that the IIHF ever has who insists on having the world shampionships during the SCP and who will do anything to stick it to the NHL even if there is no benefit.

Why are they poor ? Kids hockey in canada is subsidized locally, communities pay for the sheets. Volunteers who give up innumerable opportunities to help youth hockey exclipse what and the IIHF have done for extant markets. so some fat ass in lausanne gets more mustache wax.

You run a business ( and make no mistake the ioc IS a business no matter what the nationalistic chest thumpers tell you) you PAY THE TALENT. instead of asking why the NHL is the only league who has balked at this exploitive arragement, why don't you ask the IOC why they ( along with the NCAA who can at least fool the rubes with the " they are getting an education") are the only company on the planet that pays the talent ZERO dollars and ZERO cents and gets ALL the revenue from sporting events that ONLY have value based on the draw.

I hope to hell that the NHL ( and other leagues) keep telling the ioc to get bent, and then no one cares whose country fourth and fifth level talents win what amounts to a gusssied up beer league game.

screw the ioc and their enablers

Travel costs and insurance were offered by the IOC.
IOC statement on NHL decision