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Around the League '16-'17 351 Poster Games Lost to Injury Edition

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BK,

No one gives two ***** about the World Cup or whatever they call it. It's a glorifified exhibition and cash grab.

Better off just doing nothing.
 
I'm not going to lose any sleep over the NHL players not playing in South Korea.
 
I'm not sure how I feel about it. I can see why the Owners would be reluctant and the Olympic Committee is starting to make FIFA look like the most ethically sound business in the world. But I feel for the players, especially those outside of North America, who hold this as the pinnacle of ice hockey.
 
BigKing said:
Have no problem with them not doing the Olympics anymore.

Make the WC every four years. NHL rules and ice size. Make that the tournament that really matters like it did in 1996 and when it was the Canada Cup.
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I agree, one or the other, not both. Guys play enough games in a compressed schedule as it is.
 
Ziggy Stardust said:
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I get why the PA is so antagonistic toward the NHL overall, but it's just dumb in this instance. If the PA was putting pressure, any kind of pressure, on the IOC, they would probably be going to the Olympics. They're basically siding with the IOC though, saying "awwww, come on, just let us stay up one more hour, pleeeeease" to the NHL, while the IOC is as money centered as the NHL is in this. The players don't care, they get paid their NHL dollars regardless of what happens. Tavares gets hurt for the rest of the year after the last Olympics, he still got his money from the Islanders, and the Islanders season was all but over when he went down.

Gaborik probably gets hurt at some point anyway, but his injury playing in the World Cup didn't do the Kings any favors either. That's where at least NHL fans can get screwed in these international tournaments. I get fans in Europe maybe having a different perspective, since they don't get to watch players from their country easily, and the Olympics are a big thing in part because of that. I know as a Kings fan in the US, all I want is for any Kings players to not get hurt in these tournaments, and I don't really care if the US ultimately wins or not. The Olympics can be fun to watch, but I've never been as emotionally attached as I am to the Kings corporate logo.

But again, I say that as a fan in the US. If all the best players played in European leagues, maybe my point of view is different. Either way, this is on the IOC more than anyone else, and if the PA was at least neutral, there might be different headlines today.
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
But I feel for the players, especially those outside of North America, who hold this as the pinnacle of ice hockey.
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Too bad for them, then don't sign an NHL contract. These dudes get paid millions to play a game, being able to afford the best life can offer and are basically on the world stage every night. If I'm an owner, I want my assets protected, I'm not paying a dude to go play for someone else and risk him getting injured... F that.
 
http://www.secondcityhockey.com/201...2018-olympics-star-players-status-pyeongchang


According to TSN’s Rick Westhead, NHLPA head Don Fehr told agents at a recent meeting in Vancouver that he expects the NHL to prevent owners from allowing individual players to participate in the Olympics. For many current players, this would be their best shot at getting out of the leaguewide decision, as some owners could acquiesce star players’ requests to go.

At least one owner, Ted Leonsis of the Washington Capitals, has said publicly that he would allow his stars to play in Pyeongchang, South Korea, regardless of whether the NHL participated. The comments presumably were directed toward Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin, who has represented Russia in past Olympics and presumably wants to continue doing that in 2018.
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Some of the other owners feel the same way (Chicago for one). And I wonder how much influence the players have on that.

Also, as pointed out here among the comments from Rene Fasel, president of the IIHF, the players are very bitter about this decision and that will impact the next CBA negotiation. The Players wanted that in the last CBA and it was one of the issues that was unresolved. It won't be next time. And whose to say the NHLPA will say no to the next World CUp, which is Bettman's baby.

https://twitter.com/IgorEronko/status/849217996904165376

He also said that Bettman wanted the NHL to have rights like a top sponsor and the ICO can't do that.

Said they have to the end of April and the door is still open if the NHL wants to change it's mind.
 
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Axl Rhoadz said:
Too bad for them, then don't sign an NHL contract. These dudes get paid millions to play a game, being able to afford the best life can offer and are basically on the world stage every night. If I'm an owner, I want my assets protected, I'm not paying a dude to go play for someone else and risk him getting injured... F that.
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Well like I said I don't fully disagree because it's very easy to see from an owner's perspective--hell, how mad were WE that Gabby went from amazing to injured this summer--but to be fair a lot of these players signed contracts in a climate where Olympic participation wasn't outlawed.
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
Well like I said I don't fully disagree because it's very easy to see from an owner's perspective--hell, how mad were WE that Gabby went from amazing to injured this summer--but to be fair a lot of these players signed contracts in a climate where Olympic participation wasn't outlawed.
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Right, and that may be the case....but the owners should have the right to change their minds as long as it's not in the contract. Doesn't matter either way though, these players aren't going to turn down and NHL contract because they are told they can't participate in the Olympics.
 
Why don't the players just say they'll refuse to play in the World Cup if they aren't allowed to go to the Olympics? Didn't seem like they were all that thrilled to play in it anyways.
 
Herby said:
BK,

No one gives two ***** about the World Cup or whatever they call it. It's a glorifified exhibition and cash grab.

Better off just doing nothing.
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Agreed since I didn't give two ***** about the one they just had.

I do, however, pine for the 1996 World Cup as it was absolutely insane. I know it wouldn't be the same since the game has changed--softened--so much, but that tournament was the nail in the coffin for basketball being my favorite sport and hockey taking charge.

If they made it every four years, scrapped the euro and young teams and made it THE tournament since NHL'ers wouldn't be in the Olympics anymore, it could be good. I only bring it up since I don't see the WC going away since the NHL makes money off of it so, if they are going to do it, I want them to do it right.

I'm also fine with nothing. Hate the international rules. For the Olympics, I would love it if they basically just ported the U-20 teams over and that's who played in it.

I am tired of condensed schedules. As a STH, you get these Bataan Death March home stands where there is a game every other night for over a week.
 
WHOneedsSOX said:
Why don't the players just say they'll refuse to play in the World Cup if they aren't allowed to go to the Olympics? Didn't seem like they were all that thrilled to play in it anyways.
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Team North America was excited to be there and worth watching. They haven't had time to become jaded.
 
WHOneedsSOX said:
Why don't the players just say they'll refuse to play in the World Cup if they aren't allowed to go to the Olympics? Didn't seem like they were all that thrilled to play in it anyways.
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It was pretty obvious when Bettman started pushing the World Cup and was noncommital about the Olympics, that the plan was to replace Olympics participation with World Cup participation.
 
PJ Kings Hockey said:
It was pretty obvious when Bettman started pushing the World Cup and was noncommital about the Olympics, that the plan was to replace Olympics participation with World Cup participation.
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That's exactly what he thought and a very misguided idea. You can't replace the Olympics or why playing for your country at that level is something those players dream about.
And I'd bet the NHLPA will use that as a chip , making Bettman aware that if the Olympics are off the table, so is the World Cup (which had lukewarm ratings) and next CBA, the Olympics won't be one of the issues that was tabled, liked the last one.
 
The NHL should be really careful right now. They have managed to **** off the majority of fans, their broadcast partners and many players.

KHL must be loving this.
 
deeshamrock said:
http://www.secondcityhockey.com/201...2018-olympics-star-players-status-pyeongchang




Some of the other owners feel the same way (Chicago for one). And I wonder how much influence the players have on that.

Also, as pointed out here among the comments from Rene Fasel, president of the IIHF, the players are very bitter about this decision and that will impact the next CBA negotiation. The Players wanted that in the last CBA and it was one of the issues that was unresolved. It won't be next time. And whose to say the NHLPA will say no to the next World CUp, which is Bettman's baby.

https://twitter.com/IgorEronko/status/849217996904165376

He also said that Bettman wanted the NHL to have rights like a top sponsor and the ICO can't do that.

Said they have to the end of April and the door is still open if the NHL wants to change it's mind.
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Kane and Toews said they wouldn't go.
 
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