2022 Olympic Men's Hockey Thread

[butch]

On the one hand I want the NHL players there because the product is better, on the other hand I don't want them there because Olympics is more about amateur sports (low money etc.). Just like the olympic soccer tourney is boring and quite useless.

double edged sword.

pretty much how I've felt since they started going but once the puck drops with nhl'ers at olympics its pretty special .

[2014olympicgold]

I think the amateur side of the Olympics is long gone when the top athletes make bank regardless of what sport they participate in.

[Invictus]

Host the Olympic hockey tournament in the West instead, where the majority of the players already are.

[LawMan]

Host the Olympic hockey tournament in the West instead, where the majority of the players already are.

Honestly not the craziest idea. With there being no spectators, limited athlete interaction and lockdowns its not like there is going to be a lot of the Olympic spirit etc.
I'd take a bubble in an NHL City and getting all the games over nothing.... It probably just cannot happen because not enough time but hey it's a crazy world right now.

[2014olympicgold]

Honestly not the craziest idea. With there being no spectators, limited athlete interaction and lockdowns its not like there is going to be a lot of the Olympic spirit etc.
I'd take a bubble in an NHL City and getting all the games over nothing.... It probably just cannot happen because not enough time but hey it's a crazy world right now.

It's not a coincidence that the NHL wants to start up The World Cup of Hockey Tourney again. They did it in 2016, around the time the NHL was rumoured to be out of the 2018 Olympics as a distraction from the problem.

The WCH will happen again, and I think that's the best alternative to everything. NHL keeps the money, Olympic Committee doesn't have to be involved, and they can have the Team North America team again for NA U23. That's what I would like to see.

[Invictus]

Would Panarin even participate? I feel like no...

[Blues_fan1000]

Would Panarin even participate? I feel like no...

well "no one in russia even likes him"

[Blues_fan1000]

well i haven't seen anything official but looks like an announcement is coming soon that takes the olympics off the table

https://twitter.com/andystrickland/status/1473114027148648455?s=20

Sources confirm the February break in the #NHL schedule, originally for the Olympics, will now be used to play make up games for all games taken off the board.

[Blues_fan1000]

No surprise, but #NHL + #NHLPA are in agreement that NHL players will not participate in #Beijing2022 Olympics. Once they notify IOC, an official announcement will come - perhaps as soon as today, maybe later this week.Now, question is: Will 2022 Olympics be postponed to 2023?

https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/...14468251713543

[2014olympicgold]

Wow, surprised the NHLPA and NHL came together on this. I was really thinking they'd allow players to make their decision, but most wouldn't go.

[Axeman33]

Wow, surprised the NHLPA and NHL came together on this. I was really thinking they'd allow players to make their decision, but most wouldn't go.

I'm not surprised they came together. The NHL knew once they paused the league that the players weren't going and the NHLPA knew it was in their best interest not to gamble on the quarantine ruled being laid out. I'm sure there's some players not happy about it but as a collective group, it was the right call.

Pretty obvious choice for both.

[Blues_fan1000]

Helle already said he wanted to go

[Dennis]

I wonder if the AHL allows players to go. Ho-Sang could be an option for Canada.

Does Brendan Leipsic represent Canada? Jake Virtanen, Jordan Weal, Ryan Spooner, Josh Currie, Hunter Shinkaruk, Cliff Pu, Eric O'Dell are other Canadian options in the KHL right now

John Quenneville & Cory Conacher are playing in Switzerland and could be options.

[2014olympicgold]

I wonder if the AHL allows players to go. Ho-Sang could be an option for Canada.

Does Brendan Leipsic represent Canada? Jake Virtanen, Jordan Weal, Ryan Spooner, Josh Currie, Hunter Shinkaruk, Cliff Pu, Eric O'Dell are other Canadian options in the KHL right now

John Quenneville & Cory Conacher are playing in Switzerland and could be options.

I guess it depends on Canada's involvement because in 2018, the AHL allowed players to go to the Olympics if they were on an AHL deal.

Canada pulled out of the Spangler Cup recently, maybe they do the same with the Olympics (Hockey Canada)

[hockeymanG23]

I'm not surprised they came together. The NHL knew once they paused the league that the players weren't going and the NHLPA knew it was in their best interest not to gamble on the quarantine ruled being laid out. I'm sure there's some players not happy about it but as a collective group, it was the right call.

Pretty obvious choice for both.

I'm not too surprised either.

Most owners never really wanted the players to go anyway so not much of a shock there.

When Bettman came out a few weeks ago and said it was completely on the players to decide I figured things could get interesting.

The players who were eligible to go had to realize the risk of testing positive over in China would be reasonably high. If stuck over there for an additional 3-5 weeks they would be (1) apart from their families for up to 1.5 months possibly, would be (2) suspended without pay once the NHL resumed, and (3) wouldn't be around to help their teams/teammates push for the playoffs.

That 1st point would affect all players equally regardless of skill or salary but most players going are obviously stars so points 2 and 3 could have big impacts, specifically #3 if an NHL team were sending multiple high end players out.

Most of the PA probably couldn't care less about Olympic participation other than having a vacation break since so few would be going anyway, but coming out together as the NHLPA on this decision allows multiple stars to save face instead of appearing to bail on their country.