NHL players will not participate in the Beijing Olympics in February 2022, the NHL announced Wednesday.
"The National Hockey League respects and admires the desire of NHL players to represent their countries and participate in a ‘best on best’ tournament. Accordingly, we have waited as long as possible to make this decision while exploring every available option to enable our players to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, given the profound disruption to the NHL’s regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events — 50 games already have been postponed through Dec. 23 — Olympic participation is no longer feasible," he added. "We certainly acknowledge and appreciate the efforts made by the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Beijing Organizing Committee to host NHL players but current circumstances have made it impossible for us to proceed despite everyone’s best efforts. We look forward to Olympic participation in 2026."
The league said it will now use the Olympic break from Feb. 6 to Feb. 22 to schedule postponed games.
NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr released a statement expressing that NHL players and fans are "quite disappointed" at the announcement and also expects players will return to the Olympics in 2026.
“Since the CBA extension was reached 17 months ago, NHL players have looked forward with great anticipation to once again participating in the Winter Olympics," Fehr said. "Until very recently, we seemed to be on a clear path to go to Beijing. COVID-19 has unfortunately intervened, forcing dozens of games to be postponed this month alone. No matter how much we wish it were not the case, we need to utilize the Olympic period to reschedule these games."
The decision comes amid COVID-19 concerns, a growing number of players in protocol and numerous game postponements that have affected the league’s schedule, forcing them to pause their season beginning Wednesday through the end of their holiday break on Dec. 26.
Previously, the league said they’d continue their NHL season but would postpone all cross-border games between American and Canadian teams through Dec. 23.
Some NHL players spoke about wanting to participate in the Olympics, while others were hesitant. Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid found the reported COVID-19 protocols in China — in which positive cases could be forced to quarantine for up to five weeks — "unsettling," while hoping to "gather all the facts and information."
Sidney Crosby told LeBrun that the likelihood of NHLers not participating at the Olympics would be "disappointing".
"Obviously, I know from experience how special and unique the Olympics are," Crosby said. "And not only thinking about my experience, but thinking of the guys that haven’t had the opportunity to be part of it.
"And knowing what they could potentially miss. Yeah, I think just 'disappointing' would be the best way to describe it.".
NHL players haven’t played at the Olympics since 2014 when Canada won the gold medal. The league did not allow players to participate in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games because of a dispute with the International Olympic Committee over covering traveling and insurance costs for players while overseas.
According to The Athletic's Sean Shapiro, the NHL has started reaching out to teams about dates they’d have available during the Olympic break. Shapiro noted that teams have also been told the plan is for them to get at least a one-week break in the new revised schedule.
(Photo: Martin Rose / Getty Images)
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiggFodHRwczovL3RoZWF0aGxldGljLmNvbS9uZXdzL25obC1wbGF5ZXJzLXdvbnQtcGFydGljaXBhdGUtaW4tYmVpamluZy1vbHltcGljcy1icmVhay13aWxsLWJlLXVzZWQtZm9yLXBvc3Rwb25lZC1nYW1lcy9qSGpRNDgxNFlVUEcv0gEA?oc=5
2021-12-22 15:29:12Z
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