NHL is damaging its reputation with useless ASG and missing Olympics

[tarheelhockey]

De-corrupt the IOC and the Olympics problem fixes itself.

Given the choice, I'm quite sure the NHL would rather be there. They chose to be there when they could. But they're not going to be taken advantage of by the IOC.

As for the ASG, folks need to understand that it's not entirely about the game. The weekend is a full-scale PR blitz on the host city, and they use it as an incentive to help teams get arena deals. Don't hold your breath for the league to just simply stop doing that.

 

[M88K]

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.

couldn't be more wrong.

 

[Eisen]

Yeah the Olympics is way more entertaining than the ASG but the IOC is a slimy organization and I don't blame the owners for not sending their "investments" over there to play for free and risk injury. I mean the NHL cant even show Olympic highlights afterwards. They gain nothing from that tournament and have a lot to lose.

Seeing players as investments is what's wrong with the sport. Does any other league have issues with what the IOC does?

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Sad that we're not going to see guys like Mcdavid and Mackinnon at the Olympics in their primes. Pretty sure the overwhelming majority of players and fans want to see NHL players in the Olympics.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Love seeing hockey fans get mad about the all star game! Not sure why, probably because it's petty as hell considering its for children lol

 

[NeverBeNormal]

Ask the players why they don't want to go to the ASG. Ask the players why they didn't extend the CBA in exchange for the Olympic participation that they wanted "SOOOOOOO" much (remember Ovechkin threatening to retire lol).

The last two Olympics the NHL went to sucked anyways. For some stupid reason Babcock took the most talented players and had them play a suffocating defensive style. Besides Crosby's goal the only other memorable moment was Oshie in a gimmicky shootout.

 

[Voight]

Then go complain to the IOC and NHLPA about it

IOC refusal to work with NHL on issues involved with NHL participation and NHLPA rejected Olympic involvement when it was on negotiation table

The reputations of both those organizations is far more damaged by NHL not playing in Olympics

Also when it comes to ASG all the leagues have it and the fact this generation of athlete is so entitled and doesn't want to be involved is not fault of NHL or other leagues

Players enjoyed being part of Allstar experience and honor of being named in previous generations

NHLPA only rejected it because the NHL's offer was garbage.

 

[NeverBeNormal]

Sad that we're not going to see guys like Mcdavid and Mackinnon at the Olympics in their primes. Pretty sure the overwhelming majority of players and fans want to see NHL players in the Olympics.

They had the chance and they didn't even put it to a vote.

 

[NeverBeNormal]

NHLPA only rejected it because the NHL's offer was garbage.

Olympic participation for extending the CBA? How is that garbage? Do the players think they're gonna get a better deal. Every time it expires the players give up a little more. Why would they want that to happen sooner? Do they somehow think they're gonna get the better of the Owners this time?

 

[Kamiccolo]

Maybe you’re just growing up. Haha.

We're always growing up, but a few years ago I was still in my late 20's

 

[Ms Maggie]

Anybody have any actual data to support that the ASG is detrimental to the rep of the NHL?

 

[Dirty Dog]

I will never ever ever ever understand complaints about the all-star game. It is a weird goofy exhibition match, what exactly do you want the league to do with it?

And the Olympic opinion is correct, the NHL is stupid for that....but it is unrelated to the all-star game

 

[Sniper99]

I watch the skills competition more than the all star game. I have nothing against the all star game, I like the 3-3 format, I'd rather have it on a saturday night like it use to be in the 90's when i'm more likely to watch it than on a sunday afternoon when i'll most likely be out.

I didnt lose sleep when the NHL wasnt in the last olympics. I actually thought it was cool watching Germany play the Russians or whatever weird *** name they gave the country for the olympics.

 

[redwings25]

if you owned a company would you let your employees go work for a competitor for a month in the busiest part of your year? I doubt it.

 

[Avelanche]

I’d rather have the ASG then a break with nothing.

 

[Rich Nixon]

The Olympics never really moved the needle for me. People like to go "it's the world's best going head to head!" Like, no. The Olympics has two or three superteams of insane NHL talent, one or two solid teams with a good mix of NHL talent, and then three or four mediocre teams with a handful of NHL players. Those teams practice briefly in the offseason and then get together to play a short round-robin and single-elimination tournament.

Don't get me wrong, it's sometimes very good hockey. It's just that we already have the best hockey players in the world going head to head against each other. It's called the NHL. It features the greatest possible hockey tournament in the world, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I don't understand why we should be pausing the greatest hockey competition on the planet for a few weeks in order to allow some players to go play in an unrelated lesser tournament--and wear themselves out or potentially get injured, degrading the quality of the actual best hockey tournament in the world once it resumes.

Play for your country? Whatever. You can put on for Canada or the US or Finland in the NHL and when you win the Cup you can bring it back to your hometown of Whereverthef***, Sweden and have a big party full of civic and national pride. Leave that gold medal thing for the guys who will never get a chance at a Cup, or the people who do that thing where you snowshoe for a million miles and then shoot a bunch of targets with a camo-wrapped gun. Y'know, the actual amateur athletes the Olympics are supposedly for.

 

[Panthaz89]

All star game and the Olympics are mutually exclusive and the NHL had the rights to decide what they wanted when it comes to the Olympics due to where it was.

 

[Spazkat]

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.

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.

 

[alg363636]

At the end of the day it's to make money and play for the kids but this year seems especially stupid with so many players ducking out.

I wish they'd just do best roster in the East vs the best roster in the West and have them play a 60 minute game (without hitting). If your team doesn't have a good enough player tough shit. if your team has 3 of the best players in their conference then good for them. I can almost guarantee a kid who is a Red Wings fan going would much rather see the Crosby-Marchand-Bergeron line in person than get a chance to see Bertuzzi do some weird shooting competition. Players also might be more honored to be selected and want to show up.

It would be great to some put some kind of weight on the game - not sure what you could do. Maybe points/goals count towards season totals?

 

[McDonald19]

Problem is they want reps from every team.

Except Anaheim.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

When’s the last all star game people watched fully?

Think mine was al mccinis

2012 for me

 

[OppositeLocK]

All star game is trash. Most of the players don't like it and most of the fans don't like it.

I'd honestly rather watch an AHL game.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Olympics hockey is better without NHL players anyway.

 

[Todd Parchment]

Imagine being so addicted that you can’t have a 10 day break....

It’s a fun event and the players do enjoy themselves to an extent while there ...

what a bunch of crybabiesZzzz

The players are probably relishing a nice break to re-energize and heal minor injuries

 

[NextYear67]

I like the all-star game. *shrug*

We found one guys