U24 in Olympics?

[Eye of Ra]

Bettman dont want to release NHLers as we all know. But could not a deal be made so that only U24 NHLers gets released? Then we could change this tournament into a under-24 event just like in Soccer. This would be perfect deal, NHL will still be active with NHLers and Olympics will get some NHLers.

A possible Team Sweden:

Forsberg - Wennberg - W,Nylander
Burakovsky - Wallmark - E.Lindholm
A.Johnson - Eriksson Ek - O.Lindblom
Grundström - Sandberg - V.Olofsson

Forsling - Olofsson
Aho - G.Carlsson
Djoos - Borgman

Söderström
Högberg

Click to read more...

 

[Gemini]

There's even less chance of this happening. At least if all NHLers are allowed to participate, the league will go on a break, leaving no team worse off (barring no injuries). In your scenario some teams would be significantly handicapped depending on how much of their roster strength is due to U24 players.

 

[leafsfuture]

Not a chance.

The only reason it "works" in football is that the Olympics generally occur a month after the Euro's and just before the European leagues begin. Its not during the seasons.

Even then, the squads you see are NEVER the best on best U-23

 

[Xokkeu]

Football also doesn't really work as it's ratings and attendance is generally crap. Usually only the host country will get any support

 

[JackSlater]

This situation would still rener the Olympic tournament irrelevant, and I can't see the NHL deciding to give up a significant chunk of its best players. Additionally, I don't think that significant players (McDavid, Matthews etc.) would be comfortable leaving their teams and potentially losing ground for the playoffs just to play in this tournament.

 

[Snowsii]

Football also doesn't really work as it's ratings and attendance is generally crap. Usually only the host country will get any support

eh.. what?

Football's ratings are crap? prob 100 x more watched sport than hockey.
And nat. teams get all the players the can (due age limits) though that's mostly coz world cup is only once every four years.. And in off season.

 

[Zamuz]

eh.. what?

Football's ratings are crap? prob 100 x more watched sport than hockey.
And nat. teams get all the players the can (due age limits) though that's mostly coz world cup is only once every four years.. And in off season.

I think he meant in the Olympics. No one really cares about Olympic football.

 

[Lepardi]

The only reason it "works" in football is that the Olympics generally occur a month after the Euro's and just before the European leagues begin. Its not during the seasons.

Actually that's not true. It is during the seasons. The Olympic football tournament in Rio for instance took place from August 4th to August 20th 2016. The Premier League started on August 13th, Serie A started on August 20th and La Liga started on August 19th.

On top of this, many teams were playing important Champions League and Europa League qualifiers during the Olympic tournament.

 

[Xokkeu]

eh.. what?

Football's ratings are crap? prob 100 x more watched sport than hockey.
And nat. teams get all the players the can (due age limits) though that's mostly coz world cup is only once every four years.. And in off season.

Olympic football. Many of the top nations don't even qualify.

 

[jfc64]

Bettman dont want to release NHLers as we all know. But could not a deal be made so that only U24 NHLers gets released? Then we could change this tournament into a under-24 event just like in Soccer. This would be perfect deal, NHL will still be active with NHLers and Olympics will get some NHLers.

A possible Team Sweden:

Forsberg - Wennberg - W,Nylander
Burakovsky - Wallmark - E.Lindholm
A.Johnson - Eriksson Ek - O.Lindblom
Grundström - Sandberg - V.Olofsson

Forsling - Olofsson
Aho - G.Carlsson
Djoos - Borgman

Söderström
Högberg

I am happy to add some europeans to the team:


Filip Forsberg - Mika Zibanejad - Viktor Arvidsson
Rickard Rakell - Alexander Wennberg - William Nylander
Dick Axelsson - Victor Rask - Elias Lindholm
Johan Sundström - Joel Lundqvist - Dennis Everberg
Linus Omark - Oscar Lindblom

Oscar Klefbom - Jonas Brodin
Hampus Lindholm - Oscar Fantenberg
Staffan Kronwall - David Rundblad
Gustav Forsling - Jonas Ahnelöv

Viktor Fasth
Niklas Svedberg
Linus Ullmark

 

[tony d]

Yeah, can't see it happening. A lot of good under 24 guys are already in the NHL and thus wouldn't be available for the Olympics.

 

[StevenEllisNHL]

It can't happen. That would require another team to get kicked out. Why would that make sense?

 

[EbencoyE]

This would be terrible. We already have junior tournaments and tournaments that allow NHL players. There's no reason to change the Olympic format just because one league doesn't want to release players.

People value the NHL way too much. The Olympics went on with no problems before the NHL ever decided they wanted in on them.

 

[Xokkeu]

Thank god the IIHF would never allow this abomination.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Yah this won't work because it will hurt some teams more than others. I wouldn't mind an age restriction for the Olympics if the NHL isn't going. Something lower though like making it U20. Skip the world juniors during Olympic years and make the Olympics essentially the world juniors. As is the Olympics will be a total farce. Russia wins gold, and we get countries Z teams if that going for Silver and Bronze. I'll still watch but it would be more exciting and competitive as a U20 event.