Could the players revolt? (MOD: if no NHL participation in Pyeongchang)

[varsaku]

I see the point of representing your own nation, I don't see the point of going to the olympics if you are not tested against the best possible competition.

Do you?

I mean, that is the whole point of the olympics.

It is obviously the highest honor to represent your country than a city that only certain people support. Everyone in the world will still watch regardless of who is playing. By your logic, USA's gold is tainted since the best weren't playing.

 

[jj cale]

It is obviously the highest honor to represent your country than a city that only certain people support. Everyone in the world will still watch regardless of who is playing. By your logic, USA's gold is tainted since the best weren't playing.

By my logic the U.S won a gold without all the best competing, which is true.

Still a tremendous accomplishment though, hats off to those young men.

But those days are gone now, and without the NHL players being involved in future olympics it's a half assed gold medal.

Also true.

You can spin it anyway you want it won't change the fact that any future olympics without NHL participation will not signify a true national team champion in Hockey.

Will the winners value it and be happy about winning? yes. Will it mean they are champions of the world? obviously not.

The value is decreased right there.

It is the olympics folks, it is about testing yourself against the best, not the leftovers or best we could manage to get there.

 

[Rob]

Would the Capitals punish them or would the NHL do it?

 

[Xokkeu]

Would the Capitals punish them or would the NHL do it?

Leonsis was on record as supporting him last time so I supposed would have to be the NHL.

 

[Xokkeu]

By my logic the U.S won a gold without all the best competing, which is true.

Still a tremendous accomplishment though, hats off to those young men.

But those days are gone now, and without the NHL players being involved in future olympics it's a half assed gold medal.

Also true.

You can spin it anyway you want it won't change the fact that any future olympics without NHL participation will not signify a true national champion in Hockey.

Will the winners value it and be happy about winning? yes. Will it mean they are champions of the world? obviously not.

The value is decreased right there.

It is the olympics folks, it is about testing yourself against the best, not the leftovers or best we could manage to get there.

The point is that American viewers for the most part won't care who's playing. They'll root for team USA at the Olympics regardless

 

[varsaku]

Leonsis was on record as supporting him last time so I supposed would have to be the NHL.

It would be a PR disaster for the Caps if they go against their best player. It could scare away players from playing in the NHL during Olympic year. To most Europeans the Olympics is seen as the highest achievement. I don't get why only in NA we have this weird view of the Olympics.

By my logic the U.S won a gold without all the best competing, which is true.

Still a tremendous accomplishment though, hats off to those young men.

But those days are gone now, and without the NHL players being involved in future olympics it's a half assed gold medal.

Also true.

You can spin it anyway you want it won't change the fact that any future olympics without NHL participation will not signify a true national team champion in Hockey.

Will the winners value it and be happy about winning? yes. Will it mean they are champions of the world? obviously not.

The value is decreased right there.

It is the olympics folks, it is about testing yourself against the best, not the leftovers or best we could manage to get there.

I was never a fan of soccer growing up, but when I got caught up in the World Cup hype in 2010, I became a fan. If people don't watch hockey they will never get that opportunity to get hooked. Only hockey fans watch the WCH whereas everyone watches the Olympics.

 

[jj cale]

The point is that American viewers for the most part won't care who's playing. They'll root for team USA at the Olympics regardless

Yeah, I know they will watch regardless.

Why else would a guy from Alabama watch a hockey game?

It does not change the fact that winning a gold medal in hockey at the olympics means less when winning does not mean you are the best in the world.

This world cup win will never take the place of say, Vancouver in 2010 for Canadians. And any olympic win without NHL players will not take the place of Vancouver either, it will get lumped in with wins such as this past world cup. And any say, Czech win without nhl participation will never take the place of Nagano either.

This is what happens when the olympics are not what they are supposed to be.

It is supposed to be about the best in the world, it is not supposed to be 3rd rate. Which that will be sans NHL players.

 

[jj cale]

It would be a PR disaster for the Caps if they go against their best player. It could scare away players from playing in the NHL during Olympic year. To most Europeans the Olympics is seen as the highest achievement. I don't get why only in NA we have this weird view of the Olympics.


I was never a fan of soccer growing up, but when I got caught up in the World Cup hype in 2010, I became a fan. If people don't watch hockey they will never get that opportunity to get hooked. Only hockey fans watch the WCH whereas everyone watches the Olympics.

No argument there.

 

[Rob]

Leonsis was on record as supporting him last time so I supposed would have to be the NHL.

I think it would be a PR disaster to punish those players as well. It might just come down to the owners who are willing to let their best players go.

 

[jj cale]

Man, I would have one of the best belly laughs ever if after all this talk by Ovechkin the Russian Hockey federation tells him..." thank you so much alex for being willing to bail on your NHL team to play for Russia this olympics but unfortunately we have decided to go in a different direction, kucherov and panarin on the other hand..........."

Considering Ovechkins( i am being somewhat kind here) less then stellar on ice contributions to the Russian national team.

Wouldn't that be a hoot!!

 

[Xokkeu]

Man, I would have one of the best belly laughs ever if after all this talk by Ovechkin the Russian Hockey federation tells him..." thank you so much alex for being willing to bail on your NHL team to play for Russia this olympics but unfortunately we have decided to go in a different direction, kucherov and panarin on the other hand..........."

Considering Ovechkins( i am being somewhat kind here) less then stellar on ice contributions to the Russian national team.

Wouldn't that be a hoot!!

He'd be picked

 

[jj cale]

He'd be picked

Yeah, he would.

I sometimes wonder if they shouldn't cut bait with the guy though.

I have watched a lot of international tournaments Ovechkin has played with the Russian team over his career now, can't recall a single one where he played really well and quite a few where he was downright ineffective.

Maybe my memory can't recall a few WHC's where he was what he is in the NHL.

But you are right, he gets picked anyway, you can't not pick a guy who is the best goal scorer in the NHL.

 

[Xokkeu]

Yeah, he would.

I sometimes wonder if they shouldn't cut bait with the guy though.

I have watched a lot of international tournaments Ovechkin has played with the Russian team over his career now, can't recall a single one where he played really well and quite a few where he was downright ineffective.

Maybe my memory can't recall a few WHC's where he was what he is in the NHL.

But you are right, he gets picked anyway, you can't not pick a guy who is the best goal scorer in the NHL.

Russian isn't very good. It's that simple. It's like Ibrahimovic or Ronaldo playing with their national teams.

 

[jj cale]

Russian isn't very good. It's that simple. It's like Ibrahimovic or Ronaldo playing with their national teams.

I really don't get it myself. You think a player that good and with his rep gets the job done regardless. It is not like he doesn't have enough help up front. Sure the Russian team has had it's deficiencies on the back end and whatnot over the years he has played for them but when you have the kind of forward talent they have you would have to think that the guy should be better then subpar when he plays for them.

Russias faults didn't stop guys like Kuznetsov and Panarin and Kucherov from being dangerous this WHC. Ovechkin was Meh again.

I can't get over how less of a player he is in national team settings then he is in the NHL.

 

[ujju2]

Breach of contract, NHL could suit them. Like to see Ovi go just so he could continue sucking even when up against Canadian University students. Maybe that's why he'd want to go he may look good playing against them.

A guy stands up for his country, against a brainless league, and this is what you have to say? Go take your hate elsewhere. Let's see you play better than Ovi.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Would be hilarious if Ovechkin somehow goes pissing off WSH fans, then plays mediocre as usual and the Russians win a Bronze or something. Well I'll laugh anyway, I guess there will be those who will wax poetic about how meaningful the Olympics are and how the world will understand the meaning of that Bronze Olympics medal blah blah blah

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Would be hilarious if Ovechkin somehow goes pissing off WSH fans, then plays mediocre as usual and the Russians win a Bronze or something. Well I'll laugh anyway, I guess there will be those who will wax poetic about how meaningful the Olympics are and how the world will understand the meaning of that Bronze Olympics medal blah blah blah

It won't bother us, don't worry. Ovechkin leaving the team for two weeks in the middle of February won't harm the team. We make the playoffs rather easily.

 

[Gary Nylund]

It won't bother us, don't worry. Ovechkin leaving the team for two weeks in the middle of February won't harm the team. We make the playoffs rather easily.

I'm not a WSH fan so trust me, I'm not worried at all.

It's cool that you're not worried, I'm pretty sure if this came to pass tons of WSH fans will be. Bailing on your teammates, that's just not done IMO.

 

[Xokkeu]

I'm not a WSH fan so trust me, I'm not worried at all.

It's cool that you're not worried, I'm pretty sure if this came to pass tons of WSH fans will be. Bailing on your teammates, that's just not done IMO.

Americans would probably more confused why the rest of the league isn't going. Caps fans were already confused wtf the World Cup was

 

[Gary Nylund]

Americans would probably more confused why the rest of the league isn't going. Caps fans were already confused wtf the World Cup was

Meh, I give US fans more credit than that but whatever.

The Ovechkin thing could be a blessing in disguise for all of us fans - the NHL might be so paranoid about the potential PR fiasco that it tilts the scales in favour of Olympic participation. That is assuming the IOC coughs up the expense money of course, if they don't then I'm pretty sure we're all screwed.

Can you just imagine if Ovechkin did go though, that couldn't possibly go over well with his teammates, if WSH really thought Ovechkin will go no matter what they'd probably be wise to trade him. I just don't see WSH being serious contenders after what such a move would likely do to their locker room.

 

[JackSlater]

Obviously the players aren't going to revolt. The NHL saw 0 "revolts" to participate in the 1988, 1992 or 1994 Olympics, even among players who, like current players, had already had a taste of the Olympics. It's possible that some Russians would go, as this generation of Russian players is pretty patriotic and the KHL is a very solid piece of leverage for them, but that's about it. Even then, I don't think that most of the Russian NHLers have the stature to pull something like that off.

Well count me out as one of the herd that thinks so highly of the olympics that it is given a free pass even when the competition is watered down to where the gold medal means jack ****. And that is what the hockey gold will mean if the NHL players are not there en masse.

Go ahead and be proud to wear the colors, just don't tell me that hockey gold will mean much of anything if it is anything less then the best in the world competing for the medal.

Besides, with the amount of corruption that the I.O.C has been involved in over the years if it is indeed respected by every living soul on the planet then I would say the entire planet is more then a little naive and dare I say it, daft.

But that is beside the point.Bottom line, you want to crown a gold medalist in any sport in the olympics then the best have to be there competing.

It's pretty clear that there is a sizable portion of Europeans who place high intrinsic value on Olympic medals, regardless of who plays for them. I don't place any value on the medals if the best players don't compete for them, for obvious reasons, but the European position is pretty well established.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I'm not a WSH fan so trust me, I'm not worried at all.

It's cool that you're not worried, I'm pretty sure if this came to pass tons of WSH fans will be. Bailing on your teammates, that's just not done IMO.

Almost none of them would be pissed, we already discussed that matter internally. The fans support Ovechkin and NHL participation at the next Olympics. It's more than just approving Ovechkin's willingness to go to the Olympics, we encourage him to go.

Meh, I give US fans more credit than that but whatever.

The Ovechkin thing could be a blessing in disguise for all of us fans - the NHL might be so paranoid about the potential PR fiasco that it tilts the scales in favour of Olympic participation. That is assuming the IOC coughs up the expense money of course, if they don't then I'm pretty sure we're all screwed.

Can you just imagine if Ovechkin did go though, that couldn't possibly go over well with his teammates, if WSH really thought Ovechkin will go no matter what they'd probably be wise to trade him. I just don't see WSH being serious contenders after what such a move would likely do to their locker room.

The teammates already know Ovechkin's intentions, and none of them complained so far. Ovechkin dragged the Capitals to the playoffs single-handedly many times, he's earned the two week break he'll be getting in Feb 2018. The Capitals will most likely be comfortably locked into a playoff spot, as they were last year at that time of the year.

 

[jj cale]

Obviously the players aren't going to revolt. The NHL saw 0 "revolts" to participate in the 1988, 1992 or 1994 Olympics, even among players who, like current players, had already had a taste of the Olympics. It's possible that some Russians would go, as this generation of Russian players is pretty patriotic and the KHL is a very solid piece of leverage for them, but that's about it. Even then, I don't think that most of the Russian NHLers have the stature to pull something like that off.



It's pretty clear that there is a sizable portion of Europeans who place high intrinsic value on Olympic medals, regardless of who plays for them. I don't place any value on the medals if the best players don't compete for them, for obvious reasons, but the European position is pretty well established.

No doubt, they are all pro olympics no matter the scandals nor the level of competition. It is quite interesting to witness such a religious like devotion to it despite it's faults and failings.

Nevertheless, no NHL players= no claim to being the worlds best. Their attitude towards the olympics cannot change that reality.

 

[Xokkeu]

Meh, I give US fans more credit than that but whatever.

The Ovechkin thing could be a blessing in disguise for all of us fans - the NHL might be so paranoid about the potential PR fiasco that it tilts the scales in favour of Olympic participation. That is assuming the IOC coughs up the expense money of course, if they don't then I'm pretty sure we're all screwed.

Can you just imagine if Ovechkin did go though, that couldn't possibly go over well with his teammates, if WSH really thought Ovechkin will go no matter what they'd probably be wise to trade him. I just don't see WSH being serious contenders after what such a move would likely do to their locker room.

There's a difference between the 10 million hockey fans and 300 million Americans. And not all caps seasons holders are hockey fans.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

No doubt, they are all pro olympics no matter the scandals nor the level of competition. It is quite interesting to witness such a religious like devotion to it despite it's faults and failings.

Nevertheless, no NHL players= no claim to being the worlds best. Their attitude towards the olympics cannot change that reality.

I don't think that's what Ovechkin is seeking here. He wants to participate in the Olympics because it means a lot to him personally. First, it's the pride of representing his country, no matter what the competition is. Secondly, it's also due to the fact that he is the son of a two-time Olympic gold medallist.