As hockey fans watch the Olympic action in Rio, the question of whether the NHL will participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics inevitably pops up. The NHL is currently preparing to host the 2016 World Cup of Hockey this September, but fans and players are still interested to hear what the NHL is planning to do when the Olympics head to South Korea. A recent interview with Gary Bettman by the Chicago Tribune outlined that the league is planning to discuss the Olympics, but the topic isn’t exactly a top priority.
On NHL players participating in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea:
“We probably won’t get to it in terms of serious discussions one way or another with players’ association and the IIHF and the IOC until winter. It’s not on the front-burner right now.”
That’s not a very surprising answer. The NHL has its own Olympic-style event coming up this Fall – the World Cup – and they’re going to pour all of their resources into it in the hopes of making it into something which can be an annual success. Making a big decision on an event which is two years away might be premature, especially since that event doesn’t generate any revenue for the NHL.
Bettman added:
On the hurdles of coming to an agreement to play in the Olympics:
“There have been a lot of reports about positions that either the IOC or the IIHF have or will take and that’s something we’ll have to analyze at the time we have to make the appropriate decision.”
It sounds like Bettman isn’t sure where everyone stands on the topic and he won’t until more formal discussions are held in the future. Realistically, it may not matter what the International Olympic Committee brings to the table as the NHL will likely decide based on their own pros and cons list. The obvious pro is the hope of growing the game in new markets, but the list of cons (potential injuries, money, the league’s goal to own the best hockey tournament in the world) may outweigh that positive.
Stay tuned. The NHL will take their time deciding this matter, but early indications suggest that fans shouldn’t bank on seeing NHL stars in the 2018 Winter Olympics quite yet.
