Vlasic could go to Pyeongchang even if the NHL isn't

[jw2]

Wouldn't any player leavin the league to play in the olympics be required to pass through waivers before returning to the NHL?

 

[Saku11]

If im a Sharks fan i`d be pretty mad- Sid is my favourite player , but if he decided to abandon the Penguins for Olympics i`d lose so much respect for him. would shows he truly doesent care about the team he is in and doesent honor his contract. Ovi planned on going, maybe his team would get past a second round if he had the same passion for Caps as he has for Russia.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

He should feel hatred towards NHLPA not NHL

 

[NORiculous]

He can pull a Kovalchuk and retire, then go without any trouble. Once its done, he can try to come back.

 

[Dogewow]

That wasn't an offer, that was an ultimatum.

Owners knew that there was absolutely no chance that NHLPA would accept.

Was there a counter?

I don't remember seeing reports of "ongoing negotiations" to try and ensure that the players would go to the Olympics. This seems like something that should've been worked out and negotiated between the two parties long ago, even before it came to that "ultimatum".

 

[jw2]

He should feel hatred towards NHLPA not NHL

I'm not sure why people don't understand that.

 

[Hurt]

......

Out scored by 18 defencemens from Canada.

That said Canada can use him if he does decide to go against the wishes of the NHL. Ovechkin is doing it.

He can actually play a little bit of defence so it's okay if he doesn't score a bunch of points .

 

[Barrie22]

That wasn't an offer, that was an ultimatum.

Owners knew that there was absolutely no chance that NHLPA would accept.

Then the players don't care enough to go to the olympics.

 

[JThorne]

I just don't get this stance. The Olympics only started taking NHL players 20 years ago, the prior 60 or whatever was amateur players, it's not like it was always professionals and now they want to go to amateur. If you want to represent your country in the Olympics don't turn pro at 18, keep your eligibility and make the Olympic team then go pro. Professionals in the Olympics has ruined the Olympics, doping too but that's a different story, there's no more miracle on ice moments anymore. In basketball USA should win every year, in hockey Canada should too, is it even that special when you clearly have a better team than every other country?

I agree wholeheartedly. And it is even worse in basketball.

 

[FlashyG]

It's a waste of Vlasic's breath at this point.

The issue is settled as far as the North American teams, no NHL players will be playing in the Olympics and there isn't anything the players can do to change that fact.

Hockey Canada and USA hockey have already stated they will not allow NHL players to be selected for their teams.

 

[Barrie22]

It's a waste of Vlasic's breath at this point.

The issue is settled as far as the North American teams, no NHL players will be playing in the Olympics and there isn't anything the players can do to change that fact.

Hockey Canada and USA hockey have already stated they will not allow NHL players to be selected for their teams.

So has russia actually.

 

[BruinsBtn]

I bet if you asked Vlasic to take $100,000 off his contract in order to go, he'd feel differently.

Instead of whining, bring a solution to the table. Vlasic won't make the team anyway.

 

[Ivan13]

I bet if you asked Vlasic to take $100,000 off his contract in order to go, he'd feel differently.

Instead of whining, bring a solution to the table. Vlasic won't make the team anyway.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

If im a Sharks fan i`d be pretty mad- Sid is my favourite player , but if he decided to abandon the Penguins for Olympics i`d lose so much respect for him. would shows he truly doesent care about the team he is in and doesent honor his contract. Ovi planned on going, maybe his team would get past a second round if he had the same passion for Caps as he has for Russia.

I am a Sharks fan and I wouldn't be mad at all. It's a game at the end of the day. If he wants to go there, I would not give a damn. My respect for him isn't predicated on how much he kowtows to the people paying his salary.

 

[Saku11]

I am a Sharks fan and I wouldn't be mad at all.

Yeah lets say Sharks are a few points away from a playoff spot when he decides to jump to the Olympics, then they miss the playoffs because of that. You may not care , but the Sharks irg sure does.

 

[Sigh]

I don't get the appeal of the tournament (from a viewer's or from an NHL-level participant's perspective) if it's Spengler Cup calibre.

 

[Dogewow]

I am a Sharks fan and I wouldn't be mad at all. It's a game at the end of the day. If he wants to go there, I would not give a damn. My respect for him isn't predicated on how much he kowtows to the people paying his salary.

He signed a black and white contract. He should honor it.

It isn't "kowtowing", it's fulfilling the contract you signed and agreed to.

 

[SK13]

I believe the NHL should suspend any player who leaves for the year for the duration of the season and the playoffs.

I'm not sure why people don't understand that.

They same reason they want to blame Bettman for the 2004-2005 lockout, in spite of fans generally benefiting from what he and the owners were fighting for.

They like their favorite players; they relate to them. These shadowy billionaires and their weasel-like lawyer MUST be the bad guys here!

 

[Advanced stats]

I bet if you asked Vlasic to take $100,000 off his contract in order to go, he'd feel differently.

Instead of whining, bring a solution to the table. Vlasic won't make the team anyway.

Of the millions he has, he would easily forfit the $100000 to go. A lot of NHL players would. It's peanuts.

2% of one years earnings for vlasic.

And vlasic would easily make team Canada.

 

[playasRus]

Damn, it is downright hilarious how far Sens fans will go to discredit this year's Norris Trophy winner.

To be fair, it really depends on context. Burns had a spectacular/borderline historical year but if you want a defensive specialist, you go for Vlasic over Burns. And also Keith and Doughty over Burns. If you need to tie the game, you go with Burns and Doughty. I wouldn't say Burns is better than Vlasic, they're probably evenly valuable to a team.

 

[Barrie22]

To be fair, it really depends on context. Burns had a spectacular/borderline historical year but if you want a defensive specialist, you go for Vlasic over Burns. And also Keith and Doughty over Burns. If you need to tie the game, you go with Burns and Doughty. I wouldn't say Burns is better than Vlasic, they're probably evenly valuable to a team.

Players who drive the ice for there team will always be more valuable. Hence why top offensive players make more then 2 way players.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Yeah lets say Sharks are a few points away from a playoff spot when he decides to jump to the Olympics, then they miss the playoffs because of that. You may not care , but the Sharks irg sure does.

I'm sure the Sharks organization does because it's in their own self-interest to do so. That doesn't mean I as a fan am obligated to be in line with their self-interest just because I cheer for the team.

He signed a black and white contract. He should honor it.

It isn't "kowtowing", it's fulfilling the contract you signed and agreed to.

Plenty of people sign a black and white contract and don't honor every bit of said contract. It absolutely is kowtowing if he feels like he should be able to represent his country when it's all a game anyway. Even with said contract being as black and white as you think it is, if he feels like he can handle whatever consequences may come from his decision to represent his country then I'm much more receptive to respecting that choice than simply saying well if the league says no going to Olympics and all the players should just fall in line. No. That's stupid.

 

[TeamRenzo]

Damn, it is downright hilarious how far Sens fans will go to discredit this year's Norris Trophy winner.

I am willing to bet it was an error and not done deliberately. I doubt there are any Sens fans that believe BB isnt top line, elite defenseman worthy of the Norris.

Whether he deserved it over EK this year is what is up for debate and for another thread.

 

[Dogewow]

Plenty of people sign a black and white contract and don't honor every bit of said contract. It absolutely is kowtowing if he feels like he should be able to represent his country when it's all a game anyway. Even with said contract being as black and white as you think it is, if he feels like he can handle whatever consequences may come from his decision to represent his country then I'm much more receptive to respecting that choice than simply saying well if the league says no going to Olympics and all the players should just fall in line. No. That's stupid.

They're supposed to, that's the point of singing a contract and getting it in writing. What they feel or what they think they should be allowed to do is irrelevant if it isn't in writing. It doesn't matter what the reason is. If they signed the contract and it says they have to play NHL games that they're physically able to, then they have to do it. Honoring a contract isn't "kowtowing". If they don't and leave to play in the Olympics then that is a breach of contract.

There are going to be ramifications to these players if they walk away, and I don't think it's just going to be a slap on the wrist like a lot of people think.

I don't really have respect for some of these players complaining. To me they just come off as shortsighted and just expected to go to the Olympics and didn't take the initiative to try to avoid this outcome. Their complaining to the media isn't really solving anything either.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

The NHL shouldn't associate itself with such a grubby bunch of scoundrels and it is right to promote a World Cup instead so revenues stay in hockey and not going to international thieves in Switzerland.

The NHL itself are a grubby bunch of scoundrels