NHL may not participate in Olympics after 2010

[Accord]

World Cup? Olympics? Both, one or neither?

Those are the questions facing the NHL and its players union. The sides have differing views on which international tournament works best.

NHL Players Association Executive Director Ted Saskin said Friday it was "doubtful" that the World Cup of Hockey would be held in 2008. Contesting major international tournaments every two years is "frankly too much" and puts too much of a demand on NHL players, he said.

The NHL is committed to participating in the 2010 Olympics, which will be in Vancouver. But after that, it's very possible the NHL will withdraw its participation from the Games.

Though playing in the Olympics is popular with the union, both for the players who play in the games and the ones who get a couple of weeks off during the season, it hasn't been much of a commercial boon for the NHL.

The original goal behind shutting down the league and sending its players to the world stage was to create new NHL fans after the Olympics.

I only posted the first few paragraphs, go here for the rest of the article: http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...ll=cs-blackhawks-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

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[shawn_kemp*]

I am against this conspiracy! And I believe the NRA is behind it all!!!

 

[Phanuthier*]

Though playing in the Olympics is popular with the union, both for the players who play in the games and the ones who get a couple of weeks off during the season, it hasn't been much of a commercial boon for the NHL.

Hmm . . .

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

I wouldn't miss the World Cup at all.

 

[The_Eck]

Get rid of the World Cup. That tournament is too biased towards the North American countries. Stay with the olympics.

 

[Resolute]

I'll take the world cup over the Olympics.

The only thing the Olympics are is a giant distraction in the middle of the season leading to bad scheduling, injuries, and a greatly diminished tournament as a result.

Let the amateurs play for Olympic gold, like they were meant to be, and let the pros play for that ugly vase in a true best-on-best tournament.

 

[King of Kelvington]

I'll take the world cup over the Olympics.

The only thing the Olympics are is a giant distraction in the middle of the season leading to bad scheduling, injuries, and a greatly diminished tournament as a result.

Let the amateurs play for Olympic gold, like they were meant to be, and let the pros play for that ugly vase in a true best-on-best tournament.

Agree completley.

The World Cup is a far superior tournament.

 

[mr gib]

can it after 2010 - the nhl is dropping the ball

 

[Jazz]

Though playing in the Olympics is popular with the union, both for the players who play in the games and the ones who get a couple of weeks off during the season, it hasn't been much of a commercial boon for the NHL.

Hmm . . .

I'm sorry, but that is North American-centric thinking....The NHL players in the Olympics has been a boon for the game of hockey World-wide! (which we discussed at length in another thread...)

I'll take the world cup over the Olympics.

The only thing the Olympics are is a giant distraction in the middle of the season leading to bad scheduling, injuries, and a greatly diminished tournament as a result.

Let the amateurs play for Olympic gold, like they were meant to be, and let the pros play for that ugly vase in a true best-on-best tournament.

Your argument about amatuers in the Olympics is about 15 years too late - there is no going back now... But humour me and tell me which hockey 'amateurs' should we use?

 

[Phanuthier*]

I'm sorry, but that is North American-centric thinking....The NHL players in the Olympics has been a boon for the game of hockey World-wide! (which we discussed at length in another thread...)

Non of us had any concrete evidence. I know I was merely speculating.

Well, there's proof.

 

[Jazz]

Non of us had any concrete evidence. I know I was merely speculating.

Well, there's proof.

Your proof is merely one writer's opinion on it's impact...in North America.

 

[LeHab]

Yay, finally a chance for Dagenais to be in the Olympics

 

[Resolute]

I'm sorry, but that is North American-centric thinking....The NHL players in the Olympics has been a boon for the game of hockey World-wide! (which we discussed at length in another thread...)

Your argument about amatuers in the Olympics is about 15 years too late - there is no going back now... But humour me and tell me which hockey 'amateurs' should we use?

Make it the WJHC every fourth year, who cares?

 

[Jussi]

Let the amateurs play for Olympic gold, like they were meant to be, and let the pros play for that ugly vase in a true best-on-best tournament.

You do realize that the only amateurs in the hockey world are North American college players? No amateurs in Europe.

 

[Jazz]

You do realize that the only amateurs in the hockey world are North American college players? No amateurs in Europe.

Maybe they want a guaranteed medal or something...

Seriously, every other Olympic sport uses 'the best in the world', so why should hockey be the only expection? Unless you want hockey to be the 'joke' of the Olympics....

 

[Accord]

If all the big name NHL players aren't in the Olympics, then hockey in the Olympics will be relegated to the same status that baseball in the summer Olympics has received -- no one will care about it and it will receive low TV ratings and low attendance. The Olympics need the NHL more than the NHL needs the Olympics.

 

[Hedberg]

The NHL Players are going in 2010.

 

[Tuggy]

They should get rid of the World Cup anyway...tournament's like this don't have the same allure every 2 years.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Make it the WJHC every fourth year, who cares?

Exactly, who cares?

Who cares?

Well, if we go back to the old way, nobody cares.

If we go back to the old way, when the Swedes and Fins and Russians and Czechs got to have pro teams and Canada and the US had a bunch of kids, that was just GREAT for entertainment, wasn't it?

I'm sick of the whining on these boards.

We haven't even hit the medal round yet and I'm allready seeing lots of great hockey.

The games in Salt Lake and Nagano were some of the best hockey I've ever seen.

Cut the NHL down to 70 games every four years. Or every year.
I could live with 6 less Detroit games against Columbus and Chicago and St. Louis.

If the NHL, with all its wisdom, can't find a way to market the Olmpic angle, screw'em.

I sick of paying for the league's ineptitude.

 

[joshjull]

Your proof is merely one writer's opinion on it's impact...in North America.

Thats the only impact that matters for the NHL. By the way what is good for international hockey isn't neccesarily good for the NHL. Unless all those European fans start buying suites and season tickets and watch North American TV coverage of the NHL.

 

[Gord]

The only thing the Olympics are is a giant distraction in the middle of the season leading to bad scheduling, injuries, and a greatly diminished tournament as a result.

and ruins the NHL playoff drive and the playoffs.

 

[mr gib]

Exactly, who cares?

Who cares?

Well, if we go back to the old way, nobody cares.

If we go back to the old way, when the Swedes and Fins and Russians and Czechs got to have pro teams and Canada and the US had a bunch of kids, that was just GREAT for entertainment, wasn't it?

I'm sick of the whining on these boards.

We haven't even hit the medal round yet and I'm allready seeing lots of great hockey.

The games in Salt Lake and Nagano were some of the best hockey I've ever seen.

Cut the NHL down to 70 games every four years. Or every year.
I could live with 6 less Detroit games against Columbus and Chicago and St. Louis.

If the NHL, with all its wisdom, can't find a way to market the Olmpic angle, screw'em.

I sick of paying for the league's ineptitude.

i agree - not an advertisement, cross-promotion, or a sliver of marketing - at least i haven't seen any and i've been looking -

 

[Jazz]

....If the NHL, with all its wisdom, can't find a way to market the Olmpic angle, screw'em.

I sick of paying for the league's ineptitude.

I'm starting to agree - I can't believe that I have not seen any cross-promotion between the NHL and the Olympics, especially considering that NBC has the rights to both...

 

[Blind Gardien]

I'll take the world cup over the Olympics.

The only thing the Olympics are is a giant distraction in the middle of the season leading to bad scheduling, injuries, and a greatly diminished tournament as a result.

Let the amateurs play for Olympic gold, like they were meant to be, and let the pros play for that ugly vase in a true best-on-best tournament.

 

[Jazz]

Thats the only impact that matters for the NHL. By the way what is good for international hockey isn't neccesarily good for the NHL. Unless all those European fans start buying suites and season tickets and watch North American TV coverage of the NHL.

I'm sorry, I can only equate that with narrow-minded and inward thinking.

How can promoting the game (via the Olympics) to a wider world audience not be good for the NHL? What if hockey becomes more interesting to fans around the world after seeing world-class action...what if they start taking part in their countries national program....then we have a wider area to eventually draw more NHL players from. Have you not seen the increased international flavor of basketball since the NBA started going to the Olympics? Well it could even be more-so for the NHL.

I am not even factoring increased jersey sales worldwide and things like that....

There is more to the hockey world than North America...