OT: PyeongChang 2018 Olympics

[Cloned]

Canada got what they deserved. Played like a bunch of cocky douchebags through 2 periods before finally deciding to play hockey in the 3rd. That usually never works.

 

[Cloned]

Wonder what Drai is going to say/do when he enters the locker room for practice today? lol.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Super happy for Germany.

Must be so bittersweet for Draisaitl. He busted his ass and worked so hard to get his team qualified for this tournament and it's paying off. Sadly he can't be there with them.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Wonder what Drai is going to say/do when he enters the locker room for practice today? lol.

Deutschland!

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Well, I guess Mr. Bettman must be wearing his usual sneer somewhere.

NHL fans put up a few billion dollars a year and desperately wanted the NHL players in the tournament but he couldn't suspend play for 3 weeks because the all but unwatchable NHL regular season was untouchable.

Once again this snarly little dude shoved his middle finger in everybody's face and got away with it. So much for the 3 peat.

Again, you know it's on the IOC right, not Bettman? You understand they are the party at fault, not the NHL, that's still true now.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Super happy for Germany.

Must be so bittersweet for Draisaitl. He busted his ass and worked so hard to get his team qualified for this tournament and it's paying off. Sadly he can't be there with them.

How much money to do you think he won off teammates?

 

[CycloneSweep]

Again, you know it's on the IOC right, not Bettman? You understand they are the party at fault, not the NHL, that's still true now.

Even if it's the league's fault...that's not on Bettman. Bettman literally is just the face of the NHL for the owners. He pushes and imposes the owners will.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Even if it's the league's fault...that's not on Bettman. Bettman literally is just the face of the NHL for the owners. He pushes and imposes the owners will.

Are you sure, because I hear he's a tyrant that does everything wrong all the times.

 

[MoontoScott]

Even if it's the league's fault...that's not on Bettman. Bettman literally is just the face of the NHL for the owners. He pushes and imposes the owners will.

I know the IOC is a shady bunch and that Bettman is a mouth piece for the owners but if he had taken a firm stance and said that "I want the NHL in this tournament" then it would have happened. It was important to all the NHL players, not just Canada's.

At any rate, back to watching paint dry in the NHL regular season. Pass the vodka.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Deutschland!

Yeah, that would be it.

Gonna make for some interesting moments in practice today.

Lost in the analysis is Germany seems to be one of those coming hockey Nations that is steadily getting better. Realizing that the addition of NHL players would have changed results but still, Germany increasingly producing NHL ready players and now even a superstar.

Deserves to be said too that even NHL Team Canada's have had their problems occasionally with Germany. Not the least of which is that Germany plays a very Canada like game. Key on the physicality, system, gap control, shutdown, etc. Germany can produce a game that is occasionally shutting things down/working counter similar to what Canada do.


Have to say that the absolute worst press report of this game is by the UK Guardian. So absolutely clueless and rude. The article first read. "What on Earth happened to Canada and does anybody care" In response to the game result.

I can't link it because complaints flooded in to the Guardian apparently explaining the result, and that say the best 400 Canadian players weren't taking part, yada yada so that they have now entirely changed the article and heading.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Wonder what Drai is going to say/do when he enters the locker room for practice today? lol.

"AAAAAAAAACHTUNG, BABY!!!!!!!!"

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I ain't even mad...literally watched zero men's hockey games until the 3rd against the Fins and the 3rd this morning

good for Germany though, Drai will have a spring in his step today

 

[MoontoScott]

Yeah, that would be it.

Gonna make for some interesting moments in practice today.

Lost in the analysis is Germany seems to be one of those coming hockey Nations that is steadily getting better. Realizing that the addition of NHL players would have changed results but still, Germany increasingly producing NHL ready players and now even a superstar.

Deserves to be said too that even NHL Team Canada's have had their problems occasionally with Germany. Not the least of which is that Germany plays a very Canada like game. Key on the physicality, system, gap control, shutdown, etc. Germany can produce a game that is occasionally shutting things down/working counter similar to what Canada do.


Have to say that the absolute worst press report of this game is by the UK Guardian. So absolutely clueless and rude. The article first read. "What on Earth happened to Canada and does anybody care" In response to the game result.

I can't link it because complaints flooded in to the Guardian apparently explaining the result, and that say the best 400 Canadian players weren't taking part, yada yada so that they have now entirely changed the article and heading.

Perhaps they can take the headline and throw it on Gary's desk. I say again that he had the power to do this. My apologies to the board for ranting but I have had my fill of his sneering arrogance.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I'm not sure why a couple people here are saying we shouldn't complain. The NHL not going to the Olympics is an absolute affront to Canada. Bad enough that we get no SC's since 93 but now no Olympic medal either (I'm thinking probably lose to Czechs as well). No NHL soup for you Canada, go suck an egg.

This is not only a hit for Canada, and the NHL owes Canada, and ALL the Canadian players much more than this, but for players of all nations that play in the NHL and that would almost all like, and prefer, to be playng in the OLympics as would most of their fans.

The NHL is trying to grow its world base, get more exposure world wide, have games in Europe, China, and yet somehow decide not to partake in the once every 4 yr Olympics. Its unbelievably stupid.

Its basically greedy counting home gate over finding a work around to what is obviously more important in terms of exposure. Headlines around the world as we speak are stating; "Did the NHL ruin the Olympic Hockey tournament" Of course they did.

The worst thing being is the NHL is a mediocre Pro team sport, a bottom feeder compared to other world leagues, and is made worse through this latest embarrassment.

So what is it now. OAR vs Germany final. May as well be Germany Switzerland. That would be arguably funnier.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Perhaps they can take the headline and throw it on Gary's desk. I say again that he had the power to do this. My apologies to the board for ranting but I have had my fill of his sneering arrogance.

No, I absolutely agree with you on this one. The decision not to go to the Olympics was unbelievably shortsighted. I can't realistically think the NHL factored in a complete cost analysis of going vs not going.

Plus that the NHL is picking its spots and that's kind of deplorable too. Korea not good enough but we'll go to China, probably...

This erases everything that was established through years of hard work by Hockey Canada to allow NHL players in the Olympics, to have that going on, that rich heritage and the most stunning moments that everybody remembers. But sorry Canada, and other player Member NHL nations, we're not going. Its Buffalo vs Arizona instead in game 60 of the schedule..

I can't help but think either that the NHL'd decision not to go is going to make for some interesting dynamics with the NHLPA.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Wonder what Drai is going to say/do when he enters the locker room for practice today? lol.

I'm guessing what Jersey he is wearing..I'm sure he still has a couple laying around

 

[Laineux]

Go Germany! NHL owners can do whatever they want and yet they can only wish to gain 5% of the viewers for their priced Stanley Cup finals that the Olympic Gold medal game is going to get Sunday.

 

[Canovin]

McDavid coming into practice wearing a German jersey is my guess

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It would be a shame if a the former Oiler scrub club ended their careers with more gold medals than McDavid.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

You have to think the performance that Marco Sturm is getting out of Germany in this tournament is definitely putting him on the NHL's radar for possible coaching opportunities.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Even if it's the league's fault...that's not on Bettman. Bettman literally is just the face of the NHL for the owners. He pushes and imposes the owners will.

Actually disagree with this. Bettmans job, and sometimes by his own account, has been to take some backwards owners of the worst run pro sport in NA, and drag it into modern era rationality. His job is to basically convince the owners of reason, of why they are wrong, of why they have to think differently expand the brand, market etc.

Its Bettmans job to push for what is right. If he can't do that anymore, and if he is now being tuned out then he has lost the owners and needs to make way for somebody that can again lead the ship.

Bettman has done some good things for the NHL, and from a revenue pov some huge success. But make no mistake, not going to the Olympics was his biggest failure and this happening while Bettman for along time has been increasingly questioned as a solid Commish. He's past his time, he's guilty of hanging on. Its time to step aside.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Perhaps they can take the headline and throw it on Gary's desk. I say again that he had the power to do this. My apologies to the board for ranting but I have had my fill of his sneering arrogance.

How did Bettman have the power to do this? I don't like the guy, but he at least tried. He had the IOC passing on more and more of the costs onto the NHL with still not a scrap of reimbursement for them shutting down the league for 2 weeks, be it in the form of sponsorship rights, access to Olympics hockey highlights, etc... He offered the the NHLPA the chance to go to the Olympics in exchange for extending the CBA and they slammed the door on any negotiations of that type. He was the only party looking to make a deal while the IOC and NHLPA would not budge; instead, they were content to just point the finger at him and hope his reputation would make him the villain.

The NHL owners may be greedy, but the IOC is far beyond them. That's why the 2022 bid process had everyone drop out except Beijing, China and Almaty, Kazakstan. No one has officially bid for 2026 yet because of the corruption and exorbitant costs.

 

[CycloneSweep]

How did Bettman have the power to do this? I don't like the guy, but he at least tried. He had the IOC passing on more and more of the costs onto the NHL with still not a scrap of reimbursement for them shutting down the league for 2 weeks, be it in the form of sponsorship rights, access to Olympics hockey highlights, etc... He offered the the NHLPA the chance to go to the Olympics in exchange for extending the CBA and they slammed the door on any negotiations of that type. He was the only party looking to make a deal while the IOC and NHLPA would not budge; instead, they were content to just point the finger at him and hope his reputation would make him the villain.

The NHL owners may be greedy, but the IOC is far beyond them. That's why the 2022 bid process had everyone drop out except Beijing, China and Almaty, Kazakstan. No one has officially bid for 2026 yet because of the corruption and exorbitant costs.

I keep hearing people comparing it to the other pro sports that go.

The NBA season isn't running during the Olympics. The MLB is...and they don't go.

 

[soothsayer]

No, I absolutely agree with you on this one. The decision not to go to the Olympics was unbelievably shortsighted. I can't realistically think the NHL factored in a complete cost analysis of going vs not going.

Plus that the NHL is picking its spots and that's kind of deplorable too. Korea not good enough but we'll go to China, probably...

This erases everything that was established through years of hard work by Hockey Canada to allow NHL players in the Olympics, to have that going on, that rich heritage and the most stunning moments that everybody remembers. But sorry Canada, and other player Member NHL nations, we're not going. Its Buffalo vs Arizona instead in game 60 of the schedule..

I can't help but think either that the NHL'd decision not to go is going to make for some interesting dynamics with the NHLPA.

I'd always thought that part of Gare-bear's plan was to use the Olympics as barganing leverage in the upcoming negotiation. I'm sure that's part of his plan, and probably a significant reason for why the NHL didn't participate in the first place.

The NHL strikes me as being run by fools; or, myopic, short-sighted businessmen (muh bottom linnnee!) Anyways, the NHL really needs to start paying attention to what they're doing in the NBA (in general, not specifically with respect to olympic participation).

 

[Little Fury]

When the league announced the NHLer weren't going, I was mad as hell. Now? I think this is great. this is way more interesting than watching Canada's NHLers steamroll the competition. I hope they never go back.