Garth Snow on Olympic participation

[Dutch]

This is extremely unfair to Snow. How many owners and GMs are truly excited about their players participating in these games? Sure, they'll say the right thing but I would guess that they keep their true opinions to themselves and hope that their players make it through without injury.

As a Hawks fan, I would pissed to no end if a Blackhawk were lost for the season jeopardizing their Cup chances. But it also comes down to how much you value a gold medal. I have stated before that a gold medal means very little to me in the big picture. Sure, I want the US to win but it is on my mind for 1 or 2 days. I take Stanley Cups win with me the rest of my life.

perhaps the NHL should be a little less "political correct" and say what they want then...

I MUCH rather have my nation win gold or world cup(soccer) than my team win a cup that is available to be won every year.

Guess we see opposites on this one. One way to explain it is. My national team players are consistently the same. By club players can change at any given moment however way the wind blows and another person performs better.

[Daydream Nation]

I MUCH rather have my nation win gold or world cup(soccer) than my team win a cup that is available to be won every year.

Guess we see opposites on this one. One way to explain it is. My national team players are consistently the same. By club players can change at any given moment however way the wind blows and another person performs better.

I'm 100% opposite. A short series and the randomness of a single elimination game doesn't mean much to me. Is there any question that Canada has better hockey players than the US? If the US wins it's just because our elite pro gelled together a little faster than your elite pros. But it will be fun to watch.

[blayze]

Sure, I want the US to win but it is on my mind for 1 or 2 days. I take Stanley Cups win with me the rest of my life.

I guess that's the difference between you and me.

I still remember Sid's golden goal like it was yesterday and I vividly remember going nuts with my buddies at the bar during Sakic's clutch 4 point gold-medal clinching game in Salt Lake in 2002. To be honest, I'd have to think for a while to even remember who won the cup 4 years ago, much less in 2002.

Of course, I can't really blame you for only having the Olympics on your mind for "1 or 2 days"... nobody wants to relive the painful memory of coming in second

[MXHockey]

The NHL needs to get over itself. I'm sure Tavares is disappointed about being injured, but I doubt that he has any regrets about participating in the Olympics.


Every sport has athletes that play in its respective "professional circuit" - who if injured would miss part of the "professional" season impacting their teams. I know the counter argument will be there are millions on the line in revenues, TV deals etc etc. But then we may as well eliminate every sport from the Olympics that has a professional league, circuit, or season.


The risk of losing an elite player for the remainder of the season once every four years is a minimal one and a small sacrifice by a league full of owners that profit off of the best players in the world year after year. The real reason the NHL is pissed is because the owners don't profit from the Olympics as much as they feel they are entitled to.

[Daydream Nation]

I guess that's the difference between you and me.

I still remember Sid's golden goal like it was yesterday and I vividly remember going nuts with my buddies at the bar during Sakic's clutch 4 point gold-medal clinching game in Salt Lake in 2002. To be honest, I'd have to think for a while to even remember who won the cup 4 years ago, much less in 2002.

Of course, I can't really blame you for only having the Olympics on your mind for "1 or 2 days"... nobody wants to relive the painful memory of coming in second

Right- you don't remember those Cups since they weren't your team. When was the last time your team won the Stanley Cup? Wasn't the playoff journey a magical time? Didn't your emotions ride a roller coaster during the series of playoffs? This past season and the Blackhawks playoff run was the highlight of my life as a sports fan.

Do you really take that much satisfaction from a group of all-stars that come together for a short tournament because they represent your country? Hell, I have a very hard time rooting for Ryan Kesler and David Backes. If/when the Blackhawks lose this spring I will be in mourning. If Team USA loses tomorrow I will have a slightly larger reaction than when the women lost today.

[blayze]

Right- you don't remember those Cups since they weren't your team. When was the last time your team won the Stanley Cup? Wasn't the playoff journey a magical time? Didn't your emotions ride a roller coaster during the series of playoffs? This past season and the Blackhawks playoff run was the highlight of my life as a sports fan.

Do you really take that much satisfaction from a group of all-stars that come together for a short tournament because they represent your country? Hell, I have a very hard time rooting for Ryan Kesler and David Backes. If/when the Blackhawks lose this spring I will be in mourning. If Team USA loses tomorrow I will have a slightly larger reaction than when the women lost today.

The Leafs may not have won a cup, but I was a rabid Jays fan during their 2 year World Series reign, and I'd still say nothing compares to the feeling and emotion of Olympic Gold. Nothing unites an entire nation like that.

The Canada vs. US gold medal game in Vancouver was the most watched television program of all time in Canada... pretty sure the emotion and attention wouldn't be nearly as high even if the Leafs won the cup.

Like I said in another thread, Olympic Gold is universally recognized and respected around the globe... outside of Canada, nobody really gives two shits about the Stanley Cup.

[The Guvnah]

The Leafs may not have won a cup, but I was a rabid Jays fan during their 2 year World Series reign, and I'd still say nothing compares to the feeling and emotion of Olympic Gold. Nothing unites an entire nation like that.

The Canada vs. US gold medal game in Vancouver was the most watched television program of all time in Canada... pretty sure the emotion and attention wouldn't be nearly as high even if the Leafs won the cup.

Like I said in another thread, Olympic Gold is universally recognized and respected around the globe... outside of Canada, nobody really gives two shits about the Stanley Cup.

You say you WERE a rabid Jays fan... are you not still a rabid Leafs fan? I really find it weird (and maybe a Leafs fan defense mechanism) that you would value an Olympic Gold over a Stanley Cup. Don't get me wrong, I take a lot of pride in my Canadian citizenship and love watching our best players play their best players, but it's a weird, quirky, short tournament that happens once every four years, and NHLers didn't even start participating in it until what, 1998? I've been praying for a Blackhawks Stanley Cup every year since I was 10 years old. When it finally happened when I was 30 years old, my wife had to peel me off the ceiling. There's no comparison.

At any rate, while Snow's comments are unprofessional, I think it's ridiculous that the NHL breaks for a few weeks to let their best players go play somewhere else. Does any other league do this? I know people wouldn't value it the same, but if people want a best-on-best tournament, hold one in September. I love watching Olympic hockey, even though I can't watch a lot of it since I'm freaking working. I hate no games at night. I hate no fantasy hockey.

[Daydream Nation]

The Leafs may not have won a cup, but I was a rabid Jays fan during their 2 year World Series reign, and I'd still say nothing compares to the feeling and emotion of Olympic Gold. Nothing unites an entire nation like that.

The Canada vs. US gold medal game in Vancouver was the most watched television program of all time in Canada... pretty sure the emotion and attention wouldn't be nearly as high even if the Leafs won the cup.

Like I said in another thread, Olympic Gold is universally recognized and respected around the globe... outside of Canada, nobody really gives two shits about the Stanley Cup.

It seems like sharing the gold medal with the rest of your countrymen and the gold medal's recognition throughout the world are very important to you. Those don't matter much to me. I don't care what the ratings were or who recognizes or remembers the championship. For me personally, I get much more satisfaction and elation from my team winning 4, best of 7 playoff series. I take more satisfaction from the team that I have followed for nearly 30 years. The team that I watch nearly every single regular season game and every single playoff game. The team that I read about daily on message boards and blogs. The team whose prospects I follow. The team that I spend time with on Cap Geek playing around with their salary cap. The team that I go see play and whose merchandise has become a major part of my wardrobe. Yes, a Stanley Cup championship means a helluva lot more to me than 2-week, 8-team tournament victory. Maybe if the Leafs win a cup you'll understand.

[Big Ev]

Regardless of people's opinion on this, I don't think there's much chance they go after these Olympics. Tavares is just the nail in the coffin.

Personally I'd MUCH rather see a Sens Stanley cup than a canada olympic gold. I have much more invested in my nhl team and I care about the players. I'm not that impressed when canada wins because let's face it, they have the most talent and they should win.

[forumname]

If tavares gets injured in a tornado, does the tornado owe garth snow money?

[als_revenge]

I'll love Olympic hockey whether the NHL players are there or not. Just like I love the world jrs, or the Spengler Cup, or the Wolrd Cup, etc. It really doesn't matter to me.

And I've just come to accept that this is all about money anyways. If the clowns that run the Olympics and the clowns that own NHL teams can't figure out how to split up a giant pie of revenue, then it will have no impact on me...

[Rylant]

This isn't the worst thing that could have happened for the Islanders. Garth Snow is lucky he still has a job and this might help him keep it for longer. Tavares will be back next year stronger than ever and the Islanders will have a higher pick in the draft. This might hurt the Islanders chances of unloading Vanek before the trade deadline, though. Now everyone knows they have no choice but to trade him.

Rylant

[newfcollins]

Weren't the Islanders campaigning, and then upset when Okposo was "snubbed"? Tough to have it both ways there Snow!

This is the biggest thing to me. Snow and the Islanders were on record saying they wanted Okposo in the Olympics. Now that something has happened to their guy, it's a different ball of wax.

[Dutch]

I find it hard to believe that you wouldn't put your nation ahead of your club team filled of fins, swedes, Austrians, americans etc. I don't obviously have the connection with hokcey cause Holland doesn't have a team that can even compete with womens hockey.

However, I do have a connection on the soccer team. NO fricking way I would pick a league title ahead of a World Cup soccer won by the Netherlands. Are you insane? If you don't pick your nations winning I guess you don't care too much about your country. This is not about gold or Stanley cups. This is about being the best nation in the world

And I truly believe that Olympic Hockey is equivalent to World Cup soccer. If they did World Cup hockey it wouldn't be the same IMO.

Last but not least. If Tavares scored the Olympic gold medal goal Snow would be talking a little different

[Big Ev]

If canada wins gold, they would have only played 2 really meaningful games. This doesn't show to me who the best country is without a doubt, even though canada plus win 7 game series most of the time.

This isn't comparable to soccer as there are so many leagues, and your favourite club team isn't playing in a league with the best players in the world. In the hockey the, nhl is the ultimate goal.

Maybe an Olympic gold isn't that important to me because I know canada is the best regardless if they win or not.