Zetterberg Done For the Tournament (see warning in post #115)

[sepster]

Do people not remember that this is only the 5th Olympics in which NHL players have been allowed to participate? Arguably, the height of the NHL's popularity was in 1994 after the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. Never had NHL players participated in the Olympics up to that point. Players weren't defecting in droves from their NHL teams to participate in the Olympics prior to 1998 and won't happen in the future if the NHL pulls out.

This isn't an argument one way or the other in regards to if pro players should be allowed to go, but the idea that the NHL not agreeing to allow players to participate in the Olympics will create some massive problem is way over-blown.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

Hypothetical:

Would it be at all unfair for an NHL team to legally inform a player in 2018 (assuming they're allowed to play in the OG)



Players are still allowed to represent their country. Teams are not bound to any financial commitment until their player is healed. Seems like a fair compromise

I can't see the NHLPA allowing it unless someone, the IIHF, IOC or NHL, ensure the players get paid their full seasons worth. NHL players have guaranteed contracts so once that deal is signed player X is going to get X amount of dollars regardless of their health. I could see the NHLPA putting up a big fuss about it & just like when A-rod was going to rework his contract to be traded and MLBPA squashed it the same would happen in the NHL, incidentally the head of the MLBPA was Donald Fehr who is now the head of the NHLPA.

By not allowing their players go to OG/WC, the NHL teams could kill Hockeys future (A.K.A. young talent inspired by their countrymen) by their own paranoia/stupidity & greed

Just to play devil's advocate here has the number of registered European/International players increased since the NHL started sending players to the Olympics? We had an entire generation of Europeans grow up without having the NHL at the Olympics and there doesn't seem to be much of a difference in the numbers or quality of talent.

I think any difference would be negligible and the difference of players stopping playing should be met by the growing youth program(s) in the US.

 

[PTmbp13]

KHL is growing... and you make moe money there & its closer to home for half-or-so the NHL players. Just saying.

 

[PTmbp13]

I can't see the NHLPA allowing it unless someone, the IIHF, IOC or NHL, ensure the players get paid their full seasons worth. NHL players have guaranteed contracts so once that deal is signed player X is going to get X amount of dollars regardless of their health. I could see the NHLPA putting up a big fuss about it & just like when A-rod was going to rework his contract to be traded and MLBPA squashed it the same would happen in the NHL, incidentally the head of the MLBPA was Donald Fehr who is now the head of the NHLPA.



Just to play devil's advocate here has the number of registered European/International players increased since the NHL started sending players to the Olympics? We had an entire generation of Europeans grow up without having the NHL at the Olympics and there doesn't seem to be much of a difference in the numbers or quality of talent.

I think any difference would be negligible and the difference of players stopping playing should be met by the growing youth program(s) in the US.

i mean in a long term. the sport should be for everybody, now it is going the other way in youth hockey.

 

[KaraLupin]

Well this maybe hands the Bronze to Russia..

 

[Toffu]

Terrible news. I hope he will be well ASAP.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

KHL is growing... and you make moe money there & its closer to home for half-or-so the NHL players. Just saying.

Make more money how so? The average NHL salary in 2011-2012 was 2.4M. What is the KHL's figure? Even with the difference in taxes I think the NHL still comes out on top.

I guess you have try & figure out what playing in the Olympics is worth in a dollar amount.

i mean in a long term. the sport should be for everybody, now it is going the other way in youth hockey.

It has always been difficult for the lower class to play hockey & I don't see it changing anytime soon. This is another topic entirely but when I played house league here in Canada it was at least $1000-1500 a year & once you move into All-star teams the price goes up exponentially to as much as $10,000 a year.

Taking NHL players out of the Olympics would be pretty low on the list of reasons for a decline in hockey popularity.

 

[bursilym]

Who gives a **** about NHL. Happens every year and players don't even represent their own country/city. I know its really fun to watch, but I can care less about who wins the NHL. Just a professional league... Don't know why people care about it so much

 

[jekoh]

It shouldn't be their decision? So businesses like NHL teams should make decisions for their assets (i.e. players) then? Based on what their doctor's say of course...

No, it should be the doctor's decision.

Again, Zetterberg injured himself while playing for Detroit. Sweden knew this and disregarded it when making their selection. Zetterberg, while in a game for Sweden, aggravated an injury he sustained in Detroit. I don't understand how the Red Wings are any more or less responsible than Team Sweden is for Zetterberg's health.

They are less responsible because they only played him 1 game. If he wasn't healthy enough for Detroit then of course he wasn't healthy enough for Sweden either, but in this thread what we have is Detroit fans claiming Sweden have injured their player when if anything it's the other way around.

You forget that these are athletes playing a sport. Injuries happen. They love playing hockey more than anything else in the world and they'll do so on their own accord regardless of their health.

I'm not sure how that is relevant in any way. In any case it is Pejorative Slured to put your health in jeopardy so that you can play 80 games a season instead of just 60.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Who gives a **** about NHL. Happens every year and players don't even represent their own country/city. I know its really fun to watch, but I can care less about who wins the NHL. Just a professional league... Don't know why people care about it so much

Because it's the Cup.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

No, it should be the doctor's decision.

If the player doesn't tell the doctor how he feels is it still the doctor's fault?

They are less responsible because they only played him 1 game. If he wasn't healthy enough for Detroit then of course he wasn't healthy enough for Sweden either, but in this thread what we have is Detroit fans claiming Sweden have injured their player when if anything it's the other way around.

I think what I was saying is that had Zetterberg not gone to the Olympics and instead took a 2 week break he likely wouldn't have had to deal with this injury. Obviously he injured it in Detroit but he aggravated it at Olympics.

I'm not sure how that is relevant in any way. In any case it is Pejorative Slured to put your health in jeopardy so that you can play 80 games a season instead of just 60.

I agree with that but hockey players are inherently tough & if missing 20 games means your team misses playoffs that player is likely playing in a good chunk of those games. If one of your teammates is playing hurt it motivates the team that little bit more. As an example Datsyuk still talks about Yzerman playing one 1 knee and leading his team to the Stanley Cup.

 

[W75]

Who gives a **** about NHL. Happens every year and players don't even represent their own country/city. I know its really fun to watch, but I can care less about who wins the NHL. Just a professional league... Don't know why people care about it so much

Because of the best players, almost everyone of them. Because playoffs are the best of 7 games. The best team wins the cup.

The best of the best play in the Olympics for sure, but there are a lot of average teams also. So the depth is shallower.

Ignoring the NHL, would be like someone who's a soccer fan can't understand why people are following the Premier League.

 

[Humppaknight]

Who gives a **** about NHL. Happens every year and players don't even represent their own country/city. I know its really fun to watch, but I can care less about who wins the NHL. Just a professional league... Don't know why people care about it so much

Well, becouse the best ones plays there and it's one of the hardest the cup to win.

 

[WarriorofTime]

My understanding is that European fans want to their teams with their best players go against the best in this tournament. Of course you do, I get it.

But what else is it doing for fans? Is it really creating a bunch of new hockey fans/players? Why can't people get excited about hockey simply by watching it or playing it, wherever they can find it. Because if non-Olympic hockey doesn't do it for those people, then they'll just stop watching after the Olympics anyway.

See growth in US hockey after the miracle on ice

 

[29dryden29]

Now Finland and the Panthers have lost Barkov to injury.

 

[Oyabun]

When we lost Sedin it was a huge blow, when we lost Zetterberg the joy of olympic hockey died for me. The Swedish team is now like a boxer going into a fight with a broken hand

 

[King RAZZ]

Let's hope for the best for Zetterberg... I will only wish that he not try to speed things up and get worse...