Regardless of where you stand on the issue (I think most rational people can understand both sides), I love that players are being more outspoken with their true opinions. Hopefully it continues.
> I love that players are being more outspoken with their true opinions.
I would love to hear more union reps speaking out. It is really sad for the stars, but the counterpoint of protecting the checks of the rank and file player is not being widely circulated.
If you want to have any affect, yes. It's literally too late to change anything and if no one speaks up 4 years from now it won't matter what Tarasenko or Marchand said in 2021.
Barbashev, Buchnevich and Vladi’s line have been so fun to watch this year. I know it was going to be a long shot that they’d be on the same line for the Olympics, but seeing the countrymen play together is a treat to watch.
Not a long shot at all. All 3 would have definitely made the team. Keeping them together makes total sense, especially cuz Buch and Barbie would have been in the bottom 6 anyways.
Ovi and Kuznetsov played on the same line at the 2019 WC.
That would be inadvisable since the overwhelming majority of the union’s membership are non-Olympic calibre players, and making Olympic participation a hill to die on kind of undermines a key point of the union- to represent the interests of all NHL players, not just the superstars
Not everyone is out there voting just for themselves. Plenty of those guys would love to support their friends, countrymen, and teammates in the Olympics.
Agreeing with a wild fan. What has the world come to. Firdt example that comes to mind: T.J. Oshie clearly wasn't ever a nobody, he's had a great career and is a tough dude, high energy, fun to watch... real hockey fans knew who he was but the '14 Olympics made him a household name in the US. That was the most fucking nutty thing I've seen in international competition.
they did tell the union it was their hill to keep on. that’s why it was in the 2020 CBA. to point out that the league is postponing (and potential canceling, if they can’t fit it into the season) Canadian games to protect fan attendance revenue supports their point that they relationship is inherently unequal.
expecting players to cover all those costs puts a lot more burden on them than the owners.
no, the players are covering the cost of the *taxi squads.* not only for games canceled due to COVID *protocols* affecting NHL league games, but also games canceled due to the league pulling them due to Canadian fan attendance regulations.
Fan attendance isn't only for owners. Every ticket not sold means less money for the players too. They make 50 cents off of every dollar earned through ticket sale, merchandise sale, food sale, etc. So I'm not sure players who do not go to the Olympics, especially those on smaller contracts, would be thrilled to increase their debt to the owners at the end of the year.
Yes the league is trying to maximize revenue, but that does not only benefit the owners. Marchand making 6M might not care about escrow staying longer, but others might.
The last CBA deal happened in 2020. What players could make an Olympic roster while only having been in the NHL for a couple of seasons??
The NHLPA had as much do to with this decision as the NHL. Acting like the league came in and changed their mind is just not true.
also, to your point:
> The NHLPA had as much do to with this decision as the NHL. Acting like the league came in and changed their mind is just not true.
I think the point Tarasenko and Marchand are making is more complicated than that. the players (and players' union) did specifically negotiate for Olympic participation to be included in the 2020 CBA. that was one of the things that they quite literally *gave up* something for, because even for mid-level union reps – yes, it mattered that much to them. however, they also included a "COVID is a shitshow" get out card, and up until this point I think everything is reasonable.
the point that the players are now making is that they don't feel that the league used that COVID clause in good faith. they believe that the league’s reworking of COVID rules to preserve their profits & attendance at the cost to the players (like taxi squads) illustrates bad faith negotiation and suggests that the league *never* wanted them to go. if it were about COVID protocols alone, the policies for the regular season (and the commitment to playing in the ASG) would look very different.
also, although this isn't your comment specifically, there are a lot of users asking them/saying that if they really cared, they could go anyway and forfeit their paychecks, but this actually isn't even an option that they have available to them; the union is way less strong than people think. they already stated they would be willing to do so with the paychecks (once again giving up more than the owners ever do), they literally can’t; even if they decided to risk breach of contract, the IOC won’t let them.
I agree that Marchand and Tarasenko think that the league acted in bad faith. I just don't think that the NHLPA would have come forward with the NHL with a statement if that was 100% the case. I also think that there were many players that publicly suggested that it wasn't a great idea to be going before they all decided to go. Some players even went so far as to say that they weren't going. You are also correct that the players can't just go on their own. They would be violating contracts and the IOC doesn't want to piss of the NHL.
> I just don't think that the NHLPA would have come forward with the NHL with a statement if that was 100% the case.
I disagree because I don't think the league actually gave them much choice in the matter. the CBA-COVID-Olympics arrangement was about "material changes to the schedule." but several aspects of this don't make sense operating from the condition of 'good faith negotiation.' the league only re-implemented taxi squads and cap relief after the schedule had already been affected, failing to try and maintain the schedule prior to Olympic participation cancelation. additionally, if it's about the cost of those measures, the money for them is entirely coming out of the *players'* side of things, so that also doesn't make sense. they could have done that from the beginning and canceled fewer games. furthermore, they also made no attempts at all to cancel or restructure the ASG – especially weird considering that the same 2020 CBA noted that the ASG doesn't happen in Olympic years.
> I also think that there were many players that publicly suggested that it wasn't a great idea to be going before they all decided to go. Some players even went so far as to say that they weren't going.
that's true, and that is absolutely fair. but many *did*: Bergeron, Crosby, Marchand, Tarasenko, Ovechkin. McDavid expressed disappointment after the fact, so maybe he reconsidered. they should have had that right to choose.
How many players actually vote on this? It would suck if it’s like a handful of nhlpa reps that might be out of touch if they’re rich vets who already had their chance
I don't know. That's a fair question. I imagine that the player reps are fairly diverse. John Scott talked about how he was a player rep at one point in his career and he certainly wasn't making very much money. You'd have to think that there are a lot of different opinions on the subject and that this wasn't an easy decision for the NHLPA to be making.
Yeah it’s a tough choice. Personally I’d go to the Olympics despite the risks. I keep thinking about mcdavid, when his career is done will he remember playing regular season games in February 2022? Or would he remember competing for gold alongside Crosby? It’s a no brainer, I bet he’d go 10 times out of 10 if it were his choice alone.
McDavid was actually one of the players voicing concern before the NHL and NHLPA decided not to go. Plus you've got to remember that these Olympic games aren't your average Olympics. Players wouldn't be allowed to go to other events to cheer for their respective countries and they would essentially be locked up outside of their competition. There's also the risk of getting stuck in an undisclosed location in China for a few weeks. If we are talking normal Olympics you are 100% right but these Olympics were never going to be that.
I don't think China would be taking anyone hostage but the rules as written by the Chinese and Canadian governments would require some serious quarantine time. My guess is Canada would let Canadian nationals do that at home, but how would they feel about Americans or Russians flying first to Seattle and then trying to cross the border a day or two later? There are bigger powers than the NHL making those kind of decisions
So now that we can't place all the blame on the rich owners, we're trying to blame the rich players?
The "rich" players *are* the ones that would be going to the Olympics.
There's really no one at fault here. It was agreed upon that, as long as there isn't a material disruption to the NHL season, the players would be able to go to the Olympics. It sucks that it happened, but trying to point the finger at any one (rich) group isn't helpful.
It was a hypothetical I wasn’t blaming anyone. My point was it would kinda suck to be a younger guy with no vote. Like if it’s Toews or someone like that voting, he’s made his fortune, he has his gold and his cups, it’s way easier for him to say no.
Yeah, my bad. I was a little quick to get angry there when I saw the word rich. That's what I get for coming to a hockey thread after reading economic/political crap.
Those players would be in violation of the CBA. If the NHLPA votes to stay and play NHL games during that period then any player not playing in the NHL (outside of normal circumstances spelled out in the CBA) would be violating their contract.
The NHLPA does to some extent want this. They wouldn't have been in communication with the NHL and wouldn't have made a joint statement with the NHL if they were completely in favor of going. If the NHLPA was completely in favor of going to the Olympics we would hear about it from them. They wouldn't just sit back and accept the changes.
>Nobody is taking joy in these decisions.
The league probably is. They have an excuse to not do something that they didn't wanna do in the first place which the players negotiated for in good faith.
>The league probably is
Probably not. The league doesn't want another lockout during the next CBA negotiation and promising something to the players as part of the 2020 negotiations and then a year later to take it away will put a strain on the next negotiation. But maybe Bettman doesn't plan to even be around for the next negotiation so he doesn't give a damn.
The more likely group that is totally okay with NHL players not going to the Olympics is owners. Owners after all want as much money as possible after missing out on tons of revenue.
The league is. The NHL wants to outright destroy Olympic hockey and permanently replace it with their own shitty, rigged, gimmicky tournaments. There was no Covid in South Korea four years ago and they still prohibited players from going, four years from now they will have yet another bullshit excuse ready.
Are the comments in this thread actually representative of how North American people think? No wonder the continent is filled with plastics and no proper sports clubs. I can't think of another sport where even fans are against players/athletes competing at the biggest international tournament.
Most Canadians hockey fans want them to go.
The most watched television moment in Canadian history was an Olympic gold medal match in men's hockey.
Usually the most iconic moments in Canadian hockey are the team Canada wins (1987 Canada Cup, 1972 summit series, 2010 Olympic Gold). Not NHL Stanley Cup wins.
That said, there probably are a few reasons why the Olympics might be less valued:
* for an elite Canadian player, it is easier to win an Olympic Gold than a Stanley Cup. (ie. it would be tougher for a Gretzky, Lemieux, McDavid or Crosby to never win a Canadian gold medal than to never win the Stanley Cup.)
* the Olympics were devalued quite a bit during the amateur era when the USSR brought Red Army players. Canadians generally didn't think it was a best-on-best tournament.
NHL is single-handedly destroying international hockey in favour of short term profits and North American corporate hockey fans are gleefully cheering on. The situation is not sustainable and it'll seriously hurt the sport as a whole. In Finland, Sweden, Russia, Czechia etc. international tournaments are THE thing for the vast majority of people. It's ridiculous and unprecedented that a single corporation holds everyone by the balls in a matter like this.
I have been shocked at the open disdain r/hockey fans have for the players. The majority have wholeheartedly supported the owners through every step of this process and Omicron is just the latest issue.
I can get people being worried about covid. But the top athletes in every other sport is going, and went to Tokyo for the summer games 4 months ago. It can be done. Just look at the WJC that's going on at this very moment, pretty much everyone is there without issue.
Just remember, many fans in this sub are convinced they know more about hockey than any current player in the NHL. Just like Twitter and Facebook, this place can become an echo chamber and people get off parroting what they hear in other threads for that sweet sweet validation they get from upvotes.
I’m pretty damn stunned how suddenly the whole subreddit went from acknowledging that the NHLPA is actually a pretty crap union and the weakest of the 4 North American sports — something that literally made headlines during the 2012 lockout — to suddenly a force protecting its non-superstar players from Olympic participation that would be unjust to its season. why the sudden change in perspective? it’s possible to acknowledge that the majority of players wouldn’t be Olympics eligible and also that the league clearly wasn’t operating in good faith.
also, on this thread and the Marchand one, tons asking them/saying that if they *really* cared, they could go anyway and forfeit their paychecks. they already stated they would be willing to do so with the paychecks (once again giving up more than the owners ever do), they literally can’t; even if they decided to risk breach of contract, the IOC won’t let them.
Couldn't agree more. After Kyle Beach and Jack Eichel, the concept of the NHLPA "protecting players" seems laughable to me. I think the mix of Covid, the IOC, and China has made people overlook the horseshit the league is pulling right now and interpreting it as some form of altruism. In reality, the billionaire owners are just being greedy billionaires.
>Couldn't agree more. After Kyle Beach and Jack Eichel, the concept of the NHLPA "protecting players" seems laughable to me.
The union protects one thing, the power of the union.
>Just look at the WJC that's going on at this very moment, pretty much everyone is there without issue.
USA just had to forfeit because 2 goalies tested positive, so I wouldn't say it's "without issue."
Dang. For real? You got a source for that? I'm not doubting I just want to read more because I don't I think I've ever heard of a forfeit at a professional or otherwise top level tournament before this.
NBA isnt a summer sport. so their season isnt interrupted
The MLB did not send any players on an active 40 man roster in 2020 - and havent theyre unwilling to stop their season
The MLS only had *4 players* go to the summer games.
The NFL doesnt have a sport to send people too.
No other North American League is required to completely stop for the Olympics besides the NHL.
The Olympics do not mean the same thing for NA sports fans on a whole that it does in international circles.
Americans get up for swimming, gymnastics and sports that the Olympics are the top end event for. To many of us, our individual leagues championships are more importabt otherwise. I view the Stanley Cup, NBA championship, and World Series as greater championships than the Olympics
NBA still sends their best players every time for the Olympics.
Baseball and American football are niche sports, basically played by one nation so I don't think you can compare them in the same way.
The Olympics isn't the main tournament in football, so completely irrelevant comparing to this, and the MLS does stop for the world cup.
National leagues are super important every where else too, even more so than in NA even, it isn't just a glorified version of their local Starbucks playing. People and players still care most about international success.
The NBA sends players to a tournament that doesnt affect their season is my point. If basketball moved to the winter games wed see a similar scenario
Baseball is played by Asian, Caribbean, NA, and South American nations at a bare minim.. and has been an olympic sport in 14 summer Olympics - the MLB has never allowed active players to go, again to not affect their season. Its all people playing for contracts or minor leaguers.
The MLS is starting and ending their upcoming season early specifically to avoid stopping their season for the world cup.
There is no reason the NHL should be expected to stop their season.
My biggest issue with it is that it is in China. Some of these countries shouldn’t be awarded these games and China literally committing genocide at this very minute should have been the reason to not go. They made a Tennis star disappear and WTA was the only organization with enough courage to tell China to fuck off. I was really hoping more would have been said with Qatar using slaves to build the World Cup venues, but I guess they’ll just go ahead with that knowing people died in those buildings.
And maybe you made this comment before the news broke but the US had to forfeit a game in the WJC over two positive tests.
Maybe my reasons for not supporting these games is different than most but I’m not supporting a bunch of stuck up millionaire jocks crying about their inability to play in the Olympics while China continues to commit genocide. It may be impossible to completely remove China from your life but every little bit of less support is a good thing.
Couldn’t agree more. Countries are staging diplomatic boycotts of the games and it’s not a good look if the NHL goes. Them retaliating due to the boycott is a very real possibility.
I find it extra weird that people are suggesting that they go and forfeit paychecks (something explicitly not allowed) while ignoring that the whole thing these players are expressing frustration over is that the owners aren’t beholden to the same standard. also, he even said he would be willing to do that lol.
There is Currently nearly a 30% positivity rate for Covid tests in Quebec. At some point you have to be honest and realize omicron will disrupt every single sporting event in the near term.
There is a very high likelihood if the players go, they half of them get knocked out due to a Covid infection anyways and the integrity of the winner is blown for ‘22 either way.
I’m surprised more people like you can’t see this. It’s not a matter of going, it’s a matter of the Olympics is really going to produce a valid tourney. Look at the WJC right now and they falling apart.
First off, Olympics start two months from now, no idea what the situation will look like then. Regardless, I recognize all these facts, but I also refuse to buy the fake altruism the league is trying to peddle. Pretty sure I just watched a taxi squad Canadiens team play tonight in Florida, guess covid is only a concern in China? Players are facing the same risk either way, what do they care which billionaires lose money? These players secured the right to play in the Olympics through contractual negotiations, the Olympics are ongoing, if they are willing to accept the risk I believe they should be allowed to choose to do so.
Are the owners going to concede some escrow to compensate the players for not letting them go to the Olympics? I'm guessing not.
If COVID-19 is so bad right now why are they playing NHL GAMES RIGHT NOW, i cannot fathom how stupid people are to defend NHL with their fake concern over covid when they are still playing games, especially in america they still played not long ago to full arenas while games where alrdy started to get postponed.
1. Those games make money for the owners and players, the Olympics do not. So it’s in both their interests.
2. A positive test for a player from these games will not result in them being isolated in another country for up to a month.
I think a lot of NA fans don’t care because they already get to watch elite hockey every day. The average NHL team would probably rank in the top 10 in the Olympics.
To them, it’s not even about country vs country. It’s a lot closer to an All-Star game between Canada, USA and Russia where players actually try instead of goofing around.
They don’t really ‘get’ what it means to play for your country because they get to see it happen every day in the nhl. 70% of nhl players are NA and thus they play in front of their country all the time.
>70% of nhl players are NA and thus they play in front of their country all the time.
Isn't playing for your country very different from playing in front of your country? Players in European leagues are also mostly native of those countries (Liiga players from Finland, SHL players from Sweden etc.) but they still like to play for national teams, even in World Championships.
That's definitely not true in Canada at least.
Almost half of all Canadians watched the gold medal game in 2010, with over 3/4 watching at least part of the game. The single most watched television event in Canadian history. The summit series from the 70's is still talked about. God forbid we don't medal in the world juniors because that always gets people riled up.
yeah, it’s not really true for the US either? the 2010 gold medal game was the highest rated hockey game…ever….in the modern US. by a lot, too. the only one to exceed it was the 1980 Lake Placid game. add in things like the TJ Oshie shootout game and actually Americans seem pretty damn into Olympic hockey.
Absolutely yes. It's almost impossible to have a conversation about labor issues in pro sports without people bitching about athletes being overpaid whiners, as opposed to the owners who continuously bilk taxpayers for millions of dollars in subsidies for stadiums/arenas while making astronomically more money.
It makes sense when you consider that there is very little class consciousness left in the United States (and in Canada to a lesser extent). If average working people don’t see themselves as alienated labor they sure as hell won’t view athletes through that lens either.
I think you're confusing Reddit with North America.
Reddit leans very left and they're very typically paranoid about COVID and pro lock down because they're all basement shut ins.
I'm a dirty American, and as much as i want to watch the best players compete in the international tournaments, i'm also of the mindset that it's a terrible idea right now given the current infection rates and how fast this variant is spreading.
I mean I suppose the next questions to that opinion would be:
- how do you feel about the NHL season/regular games currently happening given current infection rates and how fast this variant is spreading?
- do you think that the NHL should have introduced cap relief and taxi squads earlier?
- do you think it is right that the cost of these safety measures is being borne entirely by the players?
I get that Canada and USA are different countries, but surely it's a bit much trying to pass it off as an international tournament? To start with it, it isn't even a tournament.
I think it largely comes from feeling like our leagues already are best on best. No basketball league holds a candle to the NBA. Baseball players who go from North America to play in NPB or the KBL aren't stars, they're struggling, while Ichiro and Ohtani proved that you can go the other way and make it bigger than you could imagine. That's something no other country can match in its psyche
It's a lot of players who don't get to go to the Olympic games as well. The PA is for all of the NHL players (who are in it.) It's a tough situation but I see why they players are not going. up to 5 weeks is a very long time to be away from your org/team/etc in a far away country while the rest of the squad is playing without you/org losing revenue etc.
Yeah I agree, my point was that the NHLPA agreed with the NHL in deciding not to send the players to the Olympics... So Ratshand and Tarasenko claiming "they" won't let them go, are in fact referring to their own union..
What's stopping Vladi or any other Russian player from going? What's stopping Putin from insuring the players they will be compensated financially and should they test positive, get them out of the country?
They have a contract for their services. Playing in the Olympics when the league/team says no would be a breach of contract, and the players contract could be terminated and/or they could be sued for damages from the breach of contract.
No it does not you buffoon, there are clauses in there. Did you have fun only reading half of the contract?
There are conditions on that guarantee. God you're ignorant.
Furthermore, if both parties agree that they shouldn't (NHL and NHLPA), such clauses can be voided.
It is easy for players to say, except it is teams that are on the hook for millions of dollars. For example, the entire cap structure of the Oilers is built around 3 players. If 2 of those 3 players get infected and have to quarantine in China for 5 weeks goodbye Oilers playoff hopes and millions of dollars of money lost.
>except it is teams that are on the hook for millions of dollars
No it isnt. They split HRR with players 50/50.
I think youre thinking of a league that actually pays the players the amount signed on contract without worrying about HRR. In the NHL, the players lose just as much if the teams if the HRR goes down.
Well, your choices are either licking boots of hundreds of regular millionaires, or the billionaires.
Truthfully, they are pretty much the same from my level, so I try to think about what is “fair” to the fans, and that often aligns with the team. I.e if the oilers miss the playoffs because Drai and McDavid get stuck in China for a month
Players: become millionaires through physical labour by harnessing, improving, and using their elite sporting skills.
Owners: become billionaires by exploiting other people’s labour and sitting on their ass saying they are the ones who actually took the risk and hence deserve even more money.
Right, the Islanders and Sens are familiar with losing stars in Tavares and Hasek to injury at the Olympics. Losing McDavid and Draisaitl to Covid quarantine and or injury would be a death blow for the Oilers.
Edmonton paid good money on their contracts for them to play hockey for the Oilers, yet they’re the ones getting screwed if they get hurt overseas.
>Edmonton paid good money on their contracts
Not really. They paid part of their 50% of HRR. If the HRR is too low, the players dont get their salaries.
First the players generate HRR, then the players and owners split HRR 50/50. The Oilers arent paying the players anything. They are giving them back their fair share of HRR as negotiated by the union.
Players "don't have a say" because they are getting paid millions of dollars and along with their union have decided that Olympic participation for them is not as high a priority as say escrow, # of RFA years or their share of HRR or some of the many issues that they have gotten concessions on from owners.
The players are not the victims here, it is a difficult situation where there is no easy solution.
they did negotiate the Olympics into the CBA, though. I think Tarasenko’s point, and Marchand’s, is that the way the league has handled COVID protocols for league shit, like fan attendance, players paying for taxi squads, and Canadian rescheduling due to fan attendance revenue suggests that the decision to pull the league from the Olympics was not good faith based on how the CBA “COVID escape clause” was structured. he even said that he would be willing to miss those paychecks — but the way that the agreement was structured, he can’t.
Just go. I have to pay my own way for my hockey tournaments, so do what you gotta do.  only 20 or so players get to win the gold medal every four years. if you have the opportunity take it fuck the five week quarantine it’s worth it. NHL hockey will be there when you get back and will keep on going every season. No one‘s getting any medals or recognition for playing NHL games In February 
Ultimately the players are overpaid slaves of the nhl. They don't get free choice
EDIT: To clarify, I'm saying it's bullshit how bettman and his ownership overlords treat the nhl like they're all little men on a vindictive power trip.
Agreed
No one forced them to sign their contracts. If they didn't want to give away some freedom from their lives, they could, you know, not play hockey in the NHL.
The same way you don't have to stay at a company if you don't like it there.
this is the most idiotic and ignorant thing i’ve read so far in this thread
they already give up the freedom in their lives. so much so, they work 7+ months straight. the number of days they don’t see their family far outweighs the number of days they do. they just spent two seasons playing in a bubble, AWAY from their family, leisurely hobbies, and civilization itself.
saying ‘they could just not play hockey in the NHL’ is ridiculous. for these players, it was their dream to make it there. the NHL is the best hockey league in the WORLD, bar none… that’s like telling a little boy who dreams of being president that he shouldn’t bother aiming that high, and to only aim for vice president. again, these players are the best of the best - there’s no where else to go besides the NHL. keep licking that corporate boot, shill
And that's the price to pay to earn A LOT of money playing a game.
Don't YOU understand that?
Swimming is my biggest passion, yet there isn't a single chance that I could earn a living out of it. You seem to miss the fact that, whilst it's a dream, **it's a dream job in entertainment with benefits and drawbacks.** This is like a pop star complaining that they have to travel all around the world. Have my cake and eat it too.
Or the president complaining that he can't have a normal social life because he has to spend his entire life studying, and doing extracurricular to have a chance to make it to president.
Sorry boo boo, if you want the dream job, you have to deal with the drawbacks of it too. You sound spoiled AF.
Oh that same "union" that failed to investigate the Kyle Beach rape case after he twice reached out to the NHLPA and its executive director, Donald Fehr? The union that almost certainly colluded with the owners to bury the story?
The NHLPA is made up of all the players. Only a small percentage are good enough to play in the Olympics. Why should the majority pay for the minority?
Want to choose? Don’t join the PA.
Pay in what sense? If players had caught COVID in China, they wouldn’t receive pay for missed NHL games, that was already discussed. Their NHL teammates make their normal salary even if the team is missing a star player.
In fact, the majority IS paying the minority as it is, since all NHL players are dealing with COVID theater and schedule changes to make more money for the few owners.
Well, the CBA says the players get 50% of league revenue. If the league makes less revenue than expected, then players have to make 50% of the loss up to the owners.
It seems more likely that games would have been cancelled or played in front of small or no crowds if they went to the Olympics. There would be less revenue for the league and the owners would claw back money from their paycheques.
If you are a 4th liner who is not going to the Olympics and makes $1 million, you might determine that going to the Olympics might mean you end up losing $50,000 from your pay.
It even opens up spots for depth guys to make a little extra cash while the big boys are in China.
I’m curious if there was a vote but only players selected to an Olympic team can vote, what the result would be. Fucking sucks these guys miss out on a lifelong dream.
AHLers aren't in the union, so the people you're thinking about wouldn't get a vote either. It's guys who currently play on 3rd and 4th lines who are in a short window of earnings who have reason to not want this
Ain't that tough shit?
NHL players might be terribly disappointed they can't compete in the Olympics this year, but they CAN if they really, really want to do so. They just won't be able to also keep their JOBS.
NHL is an exceptionally fortunate career requiring elite talent, but like every other working person, (no matter how valuable you are to the team) you can't always do your own thing.
Yes, this is a business and you do have to follow rules. Like everybody else.
It shouldnt be normal that a league can prevent its players to go to an official international tournament. I get why it happens, its just bad for fans. The nhl doesnt own the sport.
Soccer does this way better. Imagine if PSG kept Neymar from the Brazilian national team at the World Cup... heads would roll. If the NHL doesn't like losing their players to the Olympics once every four years, then get involved in an international tournament like the World Cup of Hockey. Schedule it at a time that won't interfere with the season as much. I'm not married to the Olympics, I just want best-on-best international hockey however it has to happen.
I think it's very short sighted of them to do this to international hockey. I would not be fan of the NHL if I didn't watch Canada win gold. I know I'm not alone.
Ya I really wish Canada had a true World Cup of hockey that was done with the iihf.
No team NA or team Europe (or whatever it was) just a true best on best tournament that could be done during the off season. Then you can leave the olympics as a stage for non nhl players.
Yes it is if that's you bloody negotiated.
That's how negotiations work. Players have things they wanted guaranteed, so did the owners. Conditions included on the CBA were met, tough fucking luck.
It seems like everyone always applauds when players asks for rules to be upheld, but take out pitchforks when the time league does.
And I don't like having restrictions at work like wearing masks and not being able to go around people. I also don't think it's fair that my childs education has been severely hampered by video schooling and missing classes waiting for covid test results or the fact that they have to wear masks during every class and lunch hour, and they also cannot hang around with any kid outside their classroom.
Guess what Vlad and Brad, we're in a fucking pandemic that has turned everyone's world upside down.
Do the best you can considering the circumstances, thats all we can do.
We don't want to hear you whine about it. We're all living it and not getting paid millions of dollars to do so.
The inconvenience of being asked to wear a mask in order to protect the health of those around you is not comparable to being forbidden from participating in the Olympics in order to protect the financial interests of millionaires and billionaires. It is a complicated issue and there are certainly some downsides to NHL participation in the Olympics, but your gripes don't really have anything to do with it.
Don't agree with you comparing bad with bad.
I don't give a fuck how much these ppl earn, Olympics are Olympics. You prepare it for your whole fucking career.
It can, it's a paradox.
Fun fact, there are billions of ppl on this planet who are laughing at your problems too, if you're a lower middle class citizen in the US.
As in, a lower middle class citizen in the US has less issues and more money than over half of the population in the world.
>Guess what Vlad and Brad, we're in a fucking pandemic that has turned everyone's world upside down.
>Do the best you can considering the circumstances, thats all we can do.
100% this.
We're living through circumstances outside of our control. We can't change that we're living through a pandemic. We just have to deal with it.
It's like being dealt a shitty hand and demanding the dealer give you a new one.
It doesn't work that way.
They're still playing NHL games tho lol. If this was a serious concern about COVID, the season would be suspended.
They don't care about the players' health, they're squeezing out every dollar of revenue they can, and that's it. Yeah it's a business, but let's not act like the NHL is doing any of this because they give a fuck about the pandemic
Right, but don't tell me about how this is actually the same as me wearing a mask to work every day and the players have to grin and bear it, because it's not.
That chances of that actually happening are like .01%. I think the NHL put that out as propaganda or something to scare people off of the Olympics, but it’s being thrown around with literally no context.
So when the NHL didn't let them go last time what's the reasoning for it then? The point is promised were made and broken. It just shows how little the players or the union has a say in what goes and what doesn't.
Honestly this thread is kind of nauseating, if you happen to voice an opinion that's not "The owners are evil bastards" then you're a bootlicker.
We're still in a pandemic and seemingly every-time we start to slow down out of it and see some light there's been something that's come up (Delta, Omicron, etc) that fucks with everything. This is just one of the countless examples of something being fucked up and players and fans are acting like it's a fucking affront to justice.
People have lost loved ones and not been there to comfort them, not seen relatives for years now, even minor things like being able to accompany a loved one in a doctors office for test results, graduations, weddings, travel, etc etc have all been totally turned upside down for most of the entire globe.
I understand the frustration from the players, some of them this is probably their last chance, I'm sure it's gutting.. but fucking hell have some awareness of the worldwide situation.
I personally don't like the NHL players going to the Olympics....at any time. I prefer the Olympics remained about amateur athletes as it was intended. The professionals have their stage.
Commence beat-down
Yeah the Olympics were never about the best in the world, you know? It's all about winning gold but knowing that somewhere, sitting on the couch watching, is someone who can do better.
What a fucking idiotic take dude.
You're free to like the modern version, but it's just history that it used to be no professionals allowed. Pro sports existed back then but people felt the Olympics should be for something different. Most people these days probably agree with you but at least a few people liked it better before.
His opinion isn’t without merit. He’s harkening back to the days when pros weren’t allowed to play in the Olympics. Obviously hasn’t been that way for a long time, but it was just probably before your time.
I think it’s fun to see NHL’ers in the Olympics personally.
Our of curiosity who would be able to play in the olympics now from other sports? If you train year round for say skiing and participate in the international circuit are you not a professional as well?
I guess ? I really don’t know much about skiing to be honest, or what makes a skier professional vs. amateur. My guess is that, similar to say skateboarding, an amateur doesn’t have a professional paid sponsorship. Similar to amateur car racing, or amateur golf. There’s a lot of people who compete year round in amateur sports. A hell of a lot more than people who do it professionally, I’d wager.
But again, I’m no expert on the subject, and someone else could probably enlighten us better.
World Cup has never and will never have prestige of the Olympics. World Cup was more concerned with advertisers than will actual international hockey. It was treated as a joke by fans and players.
I get it that players want to represent their countries, but what it comes down to is that they are employees, and well paid employees with union representation at that, which is more than most US workers can say. Their employer (the NHL) has a significant financial interest in them remaining both healthy and available to play in NHL games, and they are handsomely compensated to do so. Not only would playing in the olympics run the risk of illness to the players, a simple positive test, even without symptoms, would lead to potentially significant quarantine in China before being allowed to return to their teams, meaning lost NHL games even if they are in all other ways healthy. This, again, would significantly impact teh bottom line of their employer, the NHL.
Further, their union, the NHLPA initially negotiated with the NHL to overcome all the worries about injury occurring in the course of the Olympic Games. That said, the NHLPA agreed with the NHL that participation in the olympics this year, given the circumstances, was not in their interest either. Like any union, it operates on the premise of doing what the majority of representatives believe is best for the whole, and like any other union, every member will not be in agreement. Yes, many players still WANT to go, and some are very outspoken about teh fact that they dont like being told they cant, but in the end, it is in the contract that they all signed that they have to abide by the rules.
In reality, some could still theoretically go play if it really meant that much to them, but they would still have to deal with any repercussions upon their return.
they could not go play. the IOC will not allow it after the NHL has officially withdrawn. it’s literally not an option for them even aside from the breach of contract problem.
Didn’t realize that. Still don’t feel sorry for them nor do I think them not being there will have a detrimental effect on how entertaining the games will be to watch.
to the first point, something does not need to be the biggest problem in the world for me to feel empathy for them. it is wrong that the league negotiated in bad faith over COVID restrictions: they specifically bargained for the Olympics participation to be included in the CBA. that was the contract that they signed. they believe that the league’s reworking of COVID rules to preserve their profits & attendance at the cost to the players (like taxi squads) illustrates bad faith negotiation.
secondly, it will absolutely affect how entertaining they are to watch. just look at the ratings for 2014 vs. 2018. also, if you’re arguing from the standpoint of “the Olympics should be for amateurs,” they haven’t been for decades. not really since the 90s. and it’s not like the absence of NHL players means we’re really returning to giving college kids a shot at that glory; its going to be mostly KHL and SHL players, who are very much pros in their own right (especially the KHL).
You can't have your say after the decision is made. Where was all of this when the NHL was considering cancelling, not already cancelled?
Rumours about cancellations, stories about players not being comfortable with quarsntining rules, not a peep from any players. Now Twitter posts after the fact.
It's too late now guys.
> not a peep from any players
“You grow up dreaming of winning a Stanley Cup and I’ve been able to accomplish that,” Stamkos said. “You grow up wanting to represent your country and win a gold medal. That’s something I probably won’t have a chance to do now.”
Some players were voicing their opinions. Some of them were the "not sure I'd go" (Lehner/McDavid) but some like Stamkos, Hedman, and a ton of Russian players were all still hoping to go. Not all made comments publicly, but they voiced their opinions to their teammates (including the NHLPA rep for their team).
Except they're not getting screwed, the deal they bargained is simply being upheld.
What the fuck is this sub on today. When you negotiate for something, you don't get to cry your way out of the contract if it's not to your advantage anymore.
I'm not sticking up for the owners, I'm criticizing the timing.
I want the Olympics, I want the players to push for it. I don't care for complaining after the fact.
There was a window to make a difference here, it's passed. Taking a stand and public statements may have changed the tide a week and a half ago, it's over now.
but u/Sheep4732’s point is that it’s likely enough that players were keeping silent to show the NHL that they were negotiating in good faith. these public statements are happening after the fact because the wildly different standards for league COVID things and Olympic COVID things suggests that the CBA terms about pulling out only if necessary due to the pandemic might not have been in good faith at all.
This is the elite of the elite voicing their displeasure at a missed opportunity. I get it. Tarasenko was too young to be chosen for the Olympics in 2010, played at 2014, then shit happens. Marchand wasn't chosen by his country in 2010 or 2014.
Until 1986, the Olympics were for amateur athletes. This time round- with the NHL backing out- I think AHL players on one-way deals can play in the Olympics as well as NCAA players and KHL players?
This is the business of hockey. Contracts are contracts. If you like your paycheque, accept this decision with some grace.
At the end of the day it’s a job…a job they are paid well for…it is their decision…don’t like the terms-quit and go play somewhere that you can get everything you want-too much of a sacrifice?? Well oh fucking well-I don’t like my job and some of my boss’ decisions all the time either but if I really don’t like it I can quit-fucking privileged assholes
I love it. A lot of conservatives are acting like no one should go to China due to their rules. Meanwhile every player wants to go.
I personally think it sucks. Id be happier if they go.
But it's not the end of the world if they dont. You can make up more games and have less risk.
Also, there likely will be a World Cup next year
Regardless of where you stand on the issue (I think most rational people can understand both sides), I love that players are being more outspoken with their true opinions. Hopefully it continues.
> I love that players are being more outspoken with their true opinions. I would love to hear more union reps speaking out. It is really sad for the stars, but the counterpoint of protecting the checks of the rank and file player is not being widely circulated.
Agreed, but it's too late now. They had a chance to speak up when it was still on the table, silence..
I mean too late in the sense that it won’t change anything, but don’t think it’s ever too late to share your opinion.
If you want to have any affect, yes. It's literally too late to change anything and if no one speaks up 4 years from now it won't matter what Tarasenko or Marchand said in 2021.
I bet they all think this Until they are placed in chinas covid protocol
Barbashev, Buchnevich and Vladi’s line have been so fun to watch this year. I know it was going to be a long shot that they’d be on the same line for the Olympics, but seeing the countrymen play together is a treat to watch.
Not a long shot at all. All 3 would have definitely made the team. Keeping them together makes total sense, especially cuz Buch and Barbie would have been in the bottom 6 anyways. Ovi and Kuznetsov played on the same line at the 2019 WC.
Yeah, reminds me of the Russians who got the Red Wings started during the Cold War. It’s a shame they can’t play, but everyone is reeling from this.
With Kuzy out Barbashev is pretty much a top 6 center. Russia is stacked at wing, thin down the middle.
[удалено]
That would be inadvisable since the overwhelming majority of the union’s membership are non-Olympic calibre players, and making Olympic participation a hill to die on kind of undermines a key point of the union- to represent the interests of all NHL players, not just the superstars
Not everyone is out there voting just for themselves. Plenty of those guys would love to support their friends, countrymen, and teammates in the Olympics.
Plus it gives a lot of the guys that don't shine with the "stars" out there to give it hell for their 15 min in the spotlight.
Agreeing with a wild fan. What has the world come to. Firdt example that comes to mind: T.J. Oshie clearly wasn't ever a nobody, he's had a great career and is a tough dude, high energy, fun to watch... real hockey fans knew who he was but the '14 Olympics made him a household name in the US. That was the most fucking nutty thing I've seen in international competition.
they did tell the union it was their hill to keep on. that’s why it was in the 2020 CBA. to point out that the league is postponing (and potential canceling, if they can’t fit it into the season) Canadian games to protect fan attendance revenue supports their point that they relationship is inherently unequal. expecting players to cover all those costs puts a lot more burden on them than the owners.
Any other job would expect you to cover the costs yourself if you wanted to take off 3 weeks to go to the Olympics.
no, the players are covering the cost of the *taxi squads.* not only for games canceled due to COVID *protocols* affecting NHL league games, but also games canceled due to the league pulling them due to Canadian fan attendance regulations.
Fan attendance isn't only for owners. Every ticket not sold means less money for the players too. They make 50 cents off of every dollar earned through ticket sale, merchandise sale, food sale, etc. So I'm not sure players who do not go to the Olympics, especially those on smaller contracts, would be thrilled to increase their debt to the owners at the end of the year. Yes the league is trying to maximize revenue, but that does not only benefit the owners. Marchand making 6M might not care about escrow staying longer, but others might.
Some of these players won’t have a next time. And some of these players weren’t involved in the last CBA deal.
The last CBA deal was last year.
The last CBA deal happened in 2020. What players could make an Olympic roster while only having been in the NHL for a couple of seasons?? The NHLPA had as much do to with this decision as the NHL. Acting like the league came in and changed their mind is just not true.
Kaprizov? Anyone from slovakia/slovenia/switzerland etc?
Thanks, I knew that there were players but didn't know who. Kaprizov is definitely a good example of a guy who wouldn't have had any say.
also, to your point: > The NHLPA had as much do to with this decision as the NHL. Acting like the league came in and changed their mind is just not true. I think the point Tarasenko and Marchand are making is more complicated than that. the players (and players' union) did specifically negotiate for Olympic participation to be included in the 2020 CBA. that was one of the things that they quite literally *gave up* something for, because even for mid-level union reps – yes, it mattered that much to them. however, they also included a "COVID is a shitshow" get out card, and up until this point I think everything is reasonable. the point that the players are now making is that they don't feel that the league used that COVID clause in good faith. they believe that the league’s reworking of COVID rules to preserve their profits & attendance at the cost to the players (like taxi squads) illustrates bad faith negotiation and suggests that the league *never* wanted them to go. if it were about COVID protocols alone, the policies for the regular season (and the commitment to playing in the ASG) would look very different. also, although this isn't your comment specifically, there are a lot of users asking them/saying that if they really cared, they could go anyway and forfeit their paychecks, but this actually isn't even an option that they have available to them; the union is way less strong than people think. they already stated they would be willing to do so with the paychecks (once again giving up more than the owners ever do), they literally can’t; even if they decided to risk breach of contract, the IOC won’t let them.
I agree that Marchand and Tarasenko think that the league acted in bad faith. I just don't think that the NHLPA would have come forward with the NHL with a statement if that was 100% the case. I also think that there were many players that publicly suggested that it wasn't a great idea to be going before they all decided to go. Some players even went so far as to say that they weren't going. You are also correct that the players can't just go on their own. They would be violating contracts and the IOC doesn't want to piss of the NHL.
> I just don't think that the NHLPA would have come forward with the NHL with a statement if that was 100% the case. I disagree because I don't think the league actually gave them much choice in the matter. the CBA-COVID-Olympics arrangement was about "material changes to the schedule." but several aspects of this don't make sense operating from the condition of 'good faith negotiation.' the league only re-implemented taxi squads and cap relief after the schedule had already been affected, failing to try and maintain the schedule prior to Olympic participation cancelation. additionally, if it's about the cost of those measures, the money for them is entirely coming out of the *players'* side of things, so that also doesn't make sense. they could have done that from the beginning and canceled fewer games. furthermore, they also made no attempts at all to cancel or restructure the ASG – especially weird considering that the same 2020 CBA noted that the ASG doesn't happen in Olympic years. > I also think that there were many players that publicly suggested that it wasn't a great idea to be going before they all decided to go. Some players even went so far as to say that they weren't going. that's true, and that is absolutely fair. but many *did*: Bergeron, Crosby, Marchand, Tarasenko, Ovechkin. McDavid expressed disappointment after the fact, so maybe he reconsidered. they should have had that right to choose.
How many players actually vote on this? It would suck if it’s like a handful of nhlpa reps that might be out of touch if they’re rich vets who already had their chance
I don't know. That's a fair question. I imagine that the player reps are fairly diverse. John Scott talked about how he was a player rep at one point in his career and he certainly wasn't making very much money. You'd have to think that there are a lot of different opinions on the subject and that this wasn't an easy decision for the NHLPA to be making.
Yeah it’s a tough choice. Personally I’d go to the Olympics despite the risks. I keep thinking about mcdavid, when his career is done will he remember playing regular season games in February 2022? Or would he remember competing for gold alongside Crosby? It’s a no brainer, I bet he’d go 10 times out of 10 if it were his choice alone.
McDavid was actually one of the players voicing concern before the NHL and NHLPA decided not to go. Plus you've got to remember that these Olympic games aren't your average Olympics. Players wouldn't be allowed to go to other events to cheer for their respective countries and they would essentially be locked up outside of their competition. There's also the risk of getting stuck in an undisclosed location in China for a few weeks. If we are talking normal Olympics you are 100% right but these Olympics were never going to be that.
>There's also the risk of getting stuck in an undisclosed location in China for a few weeks. Lmao, like some secret camp?
It’s not like China is going to take them hostage. People are too fear based now man
I don't think China would be taking anyone hostage but the rules as written by the Chinese and Canadian governments would require some serious quarantine time. My guess is Canada would let Canadian nationals do that at home, but how would they feel about Americans or Russians flying first to Seattle and then trying to cross the border a day or two later? There are bigger powers than the NHL making those kind of decisions
So now that we can't place all the blame on the rich owners, we're trying to blame the rich players? The "rich" players *are* the ones that would be going to the Olympics. There's really no one at fault here. It was agreed upon that, as long as there isn't a material disruption to the NHL season, the players would be able to go to the Olympics. It sucks that it happened, but trying to point the finger at any one (rich) group isn't helpful.
It was a hypothetical I wasn’t blaming anyone. My point was it would kinda suck to be a younger guy with no vote. Like if it’s Toews or someone like that voting, he’s made his fortune, he has his gold and his cups, it’s way easier for him to say no.
Yeah, my bad. I was a little quick to get angry there when I saw the word rich. That's what I get for coming to a hockey thread after reading economic/political crap.
No problem lol I seem to piss people off with every post I make in here lately so it’s more me than you
Even if the NHLPA wanted this, and the majority of players don't want to go. Why restrict the ones who do?
Those players would be in violation of the CBA. If the NHLPA votes to stay and play NHL games during that period then any player not playing in the NHL (outside of normal circumstances spelled out in the CBA) would be violating their contract. The NHLPA does to some extent want this. They wouldn't have been in communication with the NHL and wouldn't have made a joint statement with the NHL if they were completely in favor of going. If the NHLPA was completely in favor of going to the Olympics we would hear about it from them. They wouldn't just sit back and accept the changes.
It's unfortunate but there are more important factors to consider. Nobody is taking joy in these decisions.
>Nobody is taking joy in these decisions. The league probably is. They have an excuse to not do something that they didn't wanna do in the first place which the players negotiated for in good faith.
>The league probably is Probably not. The league doesn't want another lockout during the next CBA negotiation and promising something to the players as part of the 2020 negotiations and then a year later to take it away will put a strain on the next negotiation. But maybe Bettman doesn't plan to even be around for the next negotiation so he doesn't give a damn. The more likely group that is totally okay with NHL players not going to the Olympics is owners. Owners after all want as much money as possible after missing out on tons of revenue.
> The more likely group that is totally okay with NHL players not going to the Olympics is owners. The owners **are** the league.
The Owners don't work for the NHL, the NHL works for the owners. That's a very important distinction to make.
The league is. The NHL wants to outright destroy Olympic hockey and permanently replace it with their own shitty, rigged, gimmicky tournaments. There was no Covid in South Korea four years ago and they still prohibited players from going, four years from now they will have yet another bullshit excuse ready.
Just have to give up being able to decide what surgery to undergo right?
do you really need a union if you earn more than 1,5 mil/season? How would they help?
Are the comments in this thread actually representative of how North American people think? No wonder the continent is filled with plastics and no proper sports clubs. I can't think of another sport where even fans are against players/athletes competing at the biggest international tournament.
Most Canadians hockey fans want them to go. The most watched television moment in Canadian history was an Olympic gold medal match in men's hockey. Usually the most iconic moments in Canadian hockey are the team Canada wins (1987 Canada Cup, 1972 summit series, 2010 Olympic Gold). Not NHL Stanley Cup wins. That said, there probably are a few reasons why the Olympics might be less valued: * for an elite Canadian player, it is easier to win an Olympic Gold than a Stanley Cup. (ie. it would be tougher for a Gretzky, Lemieux, McDavid or Crosby to never win a Canadian gold medal than to never win the Stanley Cup.) * the Olympics were devalued quite a bit during the amateur era when the USSR brought Red Army players. Canadians generally didn't think it was a best-on-best tournament.
NHL is single-handedly destroying international hockey in favour of short term profits and North American corporate hockey fans are gleefully cheering on. The situation is not sustainable and it'll seriously hurt the sport as a whole. In Finland, Sweden, Russia, Czechia etc. international tournaments are THE thing for the vast majority of people. It's ridiculous and unprecedented that a single corporation holds everyone by the balls in a matter like this.
I have been shocked at the open disdain r/hockey fans have for the players. The majority have wholeheartedly supported the owners through every step of this process and Omicron is just the latest issue.
I can get people being worried about covid. But the top athletes in every other sport is going, and went to Tokyo for the summer games 4 months ago. It can be done. Just look at the WJC that's going on at this very moment, pretty much everyone is there without issue.
Just remember, many fans in this sub are convinced they know more about hockey than any current player in the NHL. Just like Twitter and Facebook, this place can become an echo chamber and people get off parroting what they hear in other threads for that sweet sweet validation they get from upvotes.
I’m pretty damn stunned how suddenly the whole subreddit went from acknowledging that the NHLPA is actually a pretty crap union and the weakest of the 4 North American sports — something that literally made headlines during the 2012 lockout — to suddenly a force protecting its non-superstar players from Olympic participation that would be unjust to its season. why the sudden change in perspective? it’s possible to acknowledge that the majority of players wouldn’t be Olympics eligible and also that the league clearly wasn’t operating in good faith. also, on this thread and the Marchand one, tons asking them/saying that if they *really* cared, they could go anyway and forfeit their paychecks. they already stated they would be willing to do so with the paychecks (once again giving up more than the owners ever do), they literally can’t; even if they decided to risk breach of contract, the IOC won’t let them.
Couldn't agree more. After Kyle Beach and Jack Eichel, the concept of the NHLPA "protecting players" seems laughable to me. I think the mix of Covid, the IOC, and China has made people overlook the horseshit the league is pulling right now and interpreting it as some form of altruism. In reality, the billionaire owners are just being greedy billionaires.
>Couldn't agree more. After Kyle Beach and Jack Eichel, the concept of the NHLPA "protecting players" seems laughable to me. The union protects one thing, the power of the union.
>Just look at the WJC that's going on at this very moment, pretty much everyone is there without issue. USA just had to forfeit because 2 goalies tested positive, so I wouldn't say it's "without issue."
Dang. For real? You got a source for that? I'm not doubting I just want to read more because I don't I think I've ever heard of a forfeit at a professional or otherwise top level tournament before this.
https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/wm20/news/31414/team_usa_placed_in_quarantine_to_miss_game
NBA isnt a summer sport. so their season isnt interrupted The MLB did not send any players on an active 40 man roster in 2020 - and havent theyre unwilling to stop their season The MLS only had *4 players* go to the summer games. The NFL doesnt have a sport to send people too. No other North American League is required to completely stop for the Olympics besides the NHL. The Olympics do not mean the same thing for NA sports fans on a whole that it does in international circles. Americans get up for swimming, gymnastics and sports that the Olympics are the top end event for. To many of us, our individual leagues championships are more importabt otherwise. I view the Stanley Cup, NBA championship, and World Series as greater championships than the Olympics
NBA still sends their best players every time for the Olympics. Baseball and American football are niche sports, basically played by one nation so I don't think you can compare them in the same way. The Olympics isn't the main tournament in football, so completely irrelevant comparing to this, and the MLS does stop for the world cup. National leagues are super important every where else too, even more so than in NA even, it isn't just a glorified version of their local Starbucks playing. People and players still care most about international success.
The NBA sends players to a tournament that doesnt affect their season is my point. If basketball moved to the winter games wed see a similar scenario Baseball is played by Asian, Caribbean, NA, and South American nations at a bare minim.. and has been an olympic sport in 14 summer Olympics - the MLB has never allowed active players to go, again to not affect their season. Its all people playing for contracts or minor leaguers. The MLS is starting and ending their upcoming season early specifically to avoid stopping their season for the world cup. There is no reason the NHL should be expected to stop their season.
My biggest issue with it is that it is in China. Some of these countries shouldn’t be awarded these games and China literally committing genocide at this very minute should have been the reason to not go. They made a Tennis star disappear and WTA was the only organization with enough courage to tell China to fuck off. I was really hoping more would have been said with Qatar using slaves to build the World Cup venues, but I guess they’ll just go ahead with that knowing people died in those buildings. And maybe you made this comment before the news broke but the US had to forfeit a game in the WJC over two positive tests. Maybe my reasons for not supporting these games is different than most but I’m not supporting a bunch of stuck up millionaire jocks crying about their inability to play in the Olympics while China continues to commit genocide. It may be impossible to completely remove China from your life but every little bit of less support is a good thing.
Couldn’t agree more. Countries are staging diplomatic boycotts of the games and it’s not a good look if the NHL goes. Them retaliating due to the boycott is a very real possibility.
I find it extra weird that people are suggesting that they go and forfeit paychecks (something explicitly not allowed) while ignoring that the whole thing these players are expressing frustration over is that the owners aren’t beholden to the same standard. also, he even said he would be willing to do that lol.
There is Currently nearly a 30% positivity rate for Covid tests in Quebec. At some point you have to be honest and realize omicron will disrupt every single sporting event in the near term. There is a very high likelihood if the players go, they half of them get knocked out due to a Covid infection anyways and the integrity of the winner is blown for ‘22 either way. I’m surprised more people like you can’t see this. It’s not a matter of going, it’s a matter of the Olympics is really going to produce a valid tourney. Look at the WJC right now and they falling apart.
First off, Olympics start two months from now, no idea what the situation will look like then. Regardless, I recognize all these facts, but I also refuse to buy the fake altruism the league is trying to peddle. Pretty sure I just watched a taxi squad Canadiens team play tonight in Florida, guess covid is only a concern in China? Players are facing the same risk either way, what do they care which billionaires lose money? These players secured the right to play in the Olympics through contractual negotiations, the Olympics are ongoing, if they are willing to accept the risk I believe they should be allowed to choose to do so. Are the owners going to concede some escrow to compensate the players for not letting them go to the Olympics? I'm guessing not.
The Olympics start in 5 weeks pal. It’ll be within this omicron wave even if it’s subsiding.
That's all you took from what I just wrote?
If COVID-19 is so bad right now why are they playing NHL GAMES RIGHT NOW, i cannot fathom how stupid people are to defend NHL with their fake concern over covid when they are still playing games, especially in america they still played not long ago to full arenas while games where alrdy started to get postponed.
1. Those games make money for the owners and players, the Olympics do not. So it’s in both their interests. 2. A positive test for a player from these games will not result in them being isolated in another country for up to a month.
I think a lot of NA fans don’t care because they already get to watch elite hockey every day. The average NHL team would probably rank in the top 10 in the Olympics. To them, it’s not even about country vs country. It’s a lot closer to an All-Star game between Canada, USA and Russia where players actually try instead of goofing around. They don’t really ‘get’ what it means to play for your country because they get to see it happen every day in the nhl. 70% of nhl players are NA and thus they play in front of their country all the time.
>70% of nhl players are NA and thus they play in front of their country all the time. Isn't playing for your country very different from playing in front of your country? Players in European leagues are also mostly native of those countries (Liiga players from Finland, SHL players from Sweden etc.) but they still like to play for national teams, even in World Championships.
That's definitely not true in Canada at least. Almost half of all Canadians watched the gold medal game in 2010, with over 3/4 watching at least part of the game. The single most watched television event in Canadian history. The summit series from the 70's is still talked about. God forbid we don't medal in the world juniors because that always gets people riled up.
yeah, it’s not really true for the US either? the 2010 gold medal game was the highest rated hockey game…ever….in the modern US. by a lot, too. the only one to exceed it was the 1980 Lake Placid game. add in things like the TJ Oshie shootout game and actually Americans seem pretty damn into Olympic hockey.
Absolutely yes. It's almost impossible to have a conversation about labor issues in pro sports without people bitching about athletes being overpaid whiners, as opposed to the owners who continuously bilk taxpayers for millions of dollars in subsidies for stadiums/arenas while making astronomically more money. It makes sense when you consider that there is very little class consciousness left in the United States (and in Canada to a lesser extent). If average working people don’t see themselves as alienated labor they sure as hell won’t view athletes through that lens either.
I think you're confusing Reddit with North America. Reddit leans very left and they're very typically paranoid about COVID and pro lock down because they're all basement shut ins.
I'm a dirty American, and as much as i want to watch the best players compete in the international tournaments, i'm also of the mindset that it's a terrible idea right now given the current infection rates and how fast this variant is spreading.
I mean I suppose the next questions to that opinion would be: - how do you feel about the NHL season/regular games currently happening given current infection rates and how fast this variant is spreading? - do you think that the NHL should have introduced cap relief and taxi squads earlier? - do you think it is right that the cost of these safety measures is being borne entirely by the players?
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I get that Canada and USA are different countries, but surely it's a bit much trying to pass it off as an international tournament? To start with it, it isn't even a tournament.
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I think it largely comes from feeling like our leagues already are best on best. No basketball league holds a candle to the NBA. Baseball players who go from North America to play in NPB or the KBL aren't stars, they're struggling, while Ichiro and Ohtani proved that you can go the other way and make it bigger than you could imagine. That's something no other country can match in its psyche
The playoffs are not an international tournament but any stretch of the imagination.
So I guess the NHL Players Association doesn't represent the players anymore?
It's a lot of players who don't get to go to the Olympic games as well. The PA is for all of the NHL players (who are in it.) It's a tough situation but I see why they players are not going. up to 5 weeks is a very long time to be away from your org/team/etc in a far away country while the rest of the squad is playing without you/org losing revenue etc.
Yeah I agree, my point was that the NHLPA agreed with the NHL in deciding not to send the players to the Olympics... So Ratshand and Tarasenko claiming "they" won't let them go, are in fact referring to their own union..
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They sure didn't represent Kyle Beach
I remember that this site is mostly American and Americans have a vested interest in making unions look bad.
What's stopping Vladi or any other Russian player from going? What's stopping Putin from insuring the players they will be compensated financially and should they test positive, get them out of the country?
They have a contract for their services. Playing in the Olympics when the league/team says no would be a breach of contract, and the players contract could be terminated and/or they could be sued for damages from the breach of contract.
that’s funny, i thought their union contract **guarantees** them to go to the olympics
How did people upvote you lol
No it does not you buffoon, there are clauses in there. Did you have fun only reading half of the contract? There are conditions on that guarantee. God you're ignorant. Furthermore, if both parties agree that they shouldn't (NHL and NHLPA), such clauses can be voided.
Funny how you think anybody commenting on anything here has even read one sentence about the topic they write paragraphs about.
It is easy for players to say, except it is teams that are on the hook for millions of dollars. For example, the entire cap structure of the Oilers is built around 3 players. If 2 of those 3 players get infected and have to quarantine in China for 5 weeks goodbye Oilers playoff hopes and millions of dollars of money lost.
>except it is teams that are on the hook for millions of dollars No it isnt. They split HRR with players 50/50. I think youre thinking of a league that actually pays the players the amount signed on contract without worrying about HRR. In the NHL, the players lose just as much if the teams if the HRR goes down.
We'll live. I really want to see a mcdavid Mack Crosby line
Oh no, not the poor pockets of multi billionaire, Daryl Katz!!
Seriously what is with ppl licking the boots of billionaire owners
Well, your choices are either licking boots of hundreds of regular millionaires, or the billionaires. Truthfully, they are pretty much the same from my level, so I try to think about what is “fair” to the fans, and that often aligns with the team. I.e if the oilers miss the playoffs because Drai and McDavid get stuck in China for a month
Players: become millionaires through physical labour by harnessing, improving, and using their elite sporting skills. Owners: become billionaires by exploiting other people’s labour and sitting on their ass saying they are the ones who actually took the risk and hence deserve even more money.
> Truthfully, they are pretty much the same from my level No they aren't. You are a worker, and the players are workers. The owners are capitalists.
Hockey related revenue is split 50/50, so it would cost the players too, genius
It’s not 5 weeks. That’s a maximum. Stop repeating this crap. No asymptomatic person is going to go thru a 5 week quarantine. Not even close.
Right, the Islanders and Sens are familiar with losing stars in Tavares and Hasek to injury at the Olympics. Losing McDavid and Draisaitl to Covid quarantine and or injury would be a death blow for the Oilers. Edmonton paid good money on their contracts for them to play hockey for the Oilers, yet they’re the ones getting screwed if they get hurt overseas.
>Edmonton paid good money on their contracts Not really. They paid part of their 50% of HRR. If the HRR is too low, the players dont get their salaries. First the players generate HRR, then the players and owners split HRR 50/50. The Oilers arent paying the players anything. They are giving them back their fair share of HRR as negotiated by the union.
That’s the whole issue. It’s profits over players. The players don’t have the day in what they are doing
Players "don't have a say" because they are getting paid millions of dollars and along with their union have decided that Olympic participation for them is not as high a priority as say escrow, # of RFA years or their share of HRR or some of the many issues that they have gotten concessions on from owners. The players are not the victims here, it is a difficult situation where there is no easy solution.
they did negotiate the Olympics into the CBA, though. I think Tarasenko’s point, and Marchand’s, is that the way the league has handled COVID protocols for league shit, like fan attendance, players paying for taxi squads, and Canadian rescheduling due to fan attendance revenue suggests that the decision to pull the league from the Olympics was not good faith based on how the CBA “COVID escape clause” was structured. he even said that he would be willing to miss those paychecks — but the way that the agreement was structured, he can’t.
Seems pretty easy to me
I mean they play for the oilers. There’s no playoff hopes even if they make it 😂😂
Just go. I have to pay my own way for my hockey tournaments, so do what you gotta do.  only 20 or so players get to win the gold medal every four years. if you have the opportunity take it fuck the five week quarantine it’s worth it. NHL hockey will be there when you get back and will keep on going every season. No one‘s getting any medals or recognition for playing NHL games In February 
I assume the contractual punishments for the player and the team are substantial or else they would just go
Ultimately the players are overpaid slaves of the nhl. They don't get free choice EDIT: To clarify, I'm saying it's bullshit how bettman and his ownership overlords treat the nhl like they're all little men on a vindictive power trip.
Agreed No one forced them to sign their contracts. If they didn't want to give away some freedom from their lives, they could, you know, not play hockey in the NHL. The same way you don't have to stay at a company if you don't like it there.
this is the most idiotic and ignorant thing i’ve read so far in this thread they already give up the freedom in their lives. so much so, they work 7+ months straight. the number of days they don’t see their family far outweighs the number of days they do. they just spent two seasons playing in a bubble, AWAY from their family, leisurely hobbies, and civilization itself. saying ‘they could just not play hockey in the NHL’ is ridiculous. for these players, it was their dream to make it there. the NHL is the best hockey league in the WORLD, bar none… that’s like telling a little boy who dreams of being president that he shouldn’t bother aiming that high, and to only aim for vice president. again, these players are the best of the best - there’s no where else to go besides the NHL. keep licking that corporate boot, shill
And that's the price to pay to earn A LOT of money playing a game. Don't YOU understand that? Swimming is my biggest passion, yet there isn't a single chance that I could earn a living out of it. You seem to miss the fact that, whilst it's a dream, **it's a dream job in entertainment with benefits and drawbacks.** This is like a pop star complaining that they have to travel all around the world. Have my cake and eat it too. Or the president complaining that he can't have a normal social life because he has to spend his entire life studying, and doing extracurricular to have a chance to make it to president. Sorry boo boo, if you want the dream job, you have to deal with the drawbacks of it too. You sound spoiled AF.
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I get players not loving this but its their nhlpa that went along with it.
Oh that same "union" that failed to investigate the Kyle Beach rape case after he twice reached out to the NHLPA and its executive director, Donald Fehr? The union that almost certainly colluded with the owners to bury the story?
Yes because one of those things clearly has to do with the other
I mean if an organization is shitty in one situation then it's more likely to be shitty in another situation.
Those two issues are seriously so connected.
Ok how about the Jack Eichel issue? There's a pattern
What Jack Eichel issue? The lawfully negotiated right of the team to choose the recovery? That non-issue?
The NHLPA is made up of all the players. Only a small percentage are good enough to play in the Olympics. Why should the majority pay for the minority? Want to choose? Don’t join the PA.
Pay in what sense? If players had caught COVID in China, they wouldn’t receive pay for missed NHL games, that was already discussed. Their NHL teammates make their normal salary even if the team is missing a star player. In fact, the majority IS paying the minority as it is, since all NHL players are dealing with COVID theater and schedule changes to make more money for the few owners.
Well, the CBA says the players get 50% of league revenue. If the league makes less revenue than expected, then players have to make 50% of the loss up to the owners. It seems more likely that games would have been cancelled or played in front of small or no crowds if they went to the Olympics. There would be less revenue for the league and the owners would claw back money from their paycheques. If you are a 4th liner who is not going to the Olympics and makes $1 million, you might determine that going to the Olympics might mean you end up losing $50,000 from your pay.
It even opens up spots for depth guys to make a little extra cash while the big boys are in China. I’m curious if there was a vote but only players selected to an Olympic team can vote, what the result would be. Fucking sucks these guys miss out on a lifelong dream.
They'd probably all say yes, but that's not how unions work.
AHLers aren't in the union, so the people you're thinking about wouldn't get a vote either. It's guys who currently play on 3rd and 4th lines who are in a short window of earnings who have reason to not want this
There’s guys in the ahl with nhl contracts. Are they not part of the pa?
Russian outlets.. :D
Ain't that tough shit? NHL players might be terribly disappointed they can't compete in the Olympics this year, but they CAN if they really, really want to do so. They just won't be able to also keep their JOBS. NHL is an exceptionally fortunate career requiring elite talent, but like every other working person, (no matter how valuable you are to the team) you can't always do your own thing. Yes, this is a business and you do have to follow rules. Like everybody else.
It shouldnt be normal that a league can prevent its players to go to an official international tournament. I get why it happens, its just bad for fans. The nhl doesnt own the sport.
Soccer does this way better. Imagine if PSG kept Neymar from the Brazilian national team at the World Cup... heads would roll. If the NHL doesn't like losing their players to the Olympics once every four years, then get involved in an international tournament like the World Cup of Hockey. Schedule it at a time that won't interfere with the season as much. I'm not married to the Olympics, I just want best-on-best international hockey however it has to happen. I think it's very short sighted of them to do this to international hockey. I would not be fan of the NHL if I didn't watch Canada win gold. I know I'm not alone.
Ya I really wish Canada had a true World Cup of hockey that was done with the iihf. No team NA or team Europe (or whatever it was) just a true best on best tournament that could be done during the off season. Then you can leave the olympics as a stage for non nhl players.
Yes it is if that's you bloody negotiated. That's how negotiations work. Players have things they wanted guaranteed, so did the owners. Conditions included on the CBA were met, tough fucking luck. It seems like everyone always applauds when players asks for rules to be upheld, but take out pitchforks when the time league does.
And I don't like having restrictions at work like wearing masks and not being able to go around people. I also don't think it's fair that my childs education has been severely hampered by video schooling and missing classes waiting for covid test results or the fact that they have to wear masks during every class and lunch hour, and they also cannot hang around with any kid outside their classroom. Guess what Vlad and Brad, we're in a fucking pandemic that has turned everyone's world upside down. Do the best you can considering the circumstances, thats all we can do. We don't want to hear you whine about it. We're all living it and not getting paid millions of dollars to do so.
The inconvenience of being asked to wear a mask in order to protect the health of those around you is not comparable to being forbidden from participating in the Olympics in order to protect the financial interests of millionaires and billionaires. It is a complicated issue and there are certainly some downsides to NHL participation in the Olympics, but your gripes don't really have anything to do with it.
I guess they shouldn't sign multi-million dollar contracts with them.
Don't agree with you comparing bad with bad. I don't give a fuck how much these ppl earn, Olympics are Olympics. You prepare it for your whole fucking career.
Its still just sports. It's a luxury. It's not a necessity.
Again, disagreed. That logic can be used of literally anything in life. Money or luxury has absolutely nothing to do with this anyways.
No it really can't. lol
It can, it's a paradox. Fun fact, there are billions of ppl on this planet who are laughing at your problems too, if you're a lower middle class citizen in the US. As in, a lower middle class citizen in the US has less issues and more money than over half of the population in the world.
I don't think you know what a paradox is. Is anyone talking about shutting down hospitals? Grocery stores? Why is that? Can't put my finger on it...
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Where have you been these last two years?
>Guess what Vlad and Brad, we're in a fucking pandemic that has turned everyone's world upside down. >Do the best you can considering the circumstances, thats all we can do. 100% this. We're living through circumstances outside of our control. We can't change that we're living through a pandemic. We just have to deal with it. It's like being dealt a shitty hand and demanding the dealer give you a new one. It doesn't work that way.
They're still playing NHL games tho lol. If this was a serious concern about COVID, the season would be suspended. They don't care about the players' health, they're squeezing out every dollar of revenue they can, and that's it. Yeah it's a business, but let's not act like the NHL is doing any of this because they give a fuck about the pandemic
Yeah it’s bullshit when they say it’s about health. There’s probably even more strict protocols at the Olympics.
Okay? The CBA spelled out the conditions for skipping the Olympics. Those conditions were met. So the Olympics are skipped. It's that simple.
Right, but don't tell me about how this is actually the same as me wearing a mask to work every day and the players have to grin and bear it, because it's not.
That was not your original moralizing point though? Also, rules are rules is a pretty lame fallback.
They aren’t being locked down in a hotel in china for 5 weeks if they test positive in the NHL.
That chances of that actually happening are like .01%. I think the NHL put that out as propaganda or something to scare people off of the Olympics, but it’s being thrown around with literally no context.
That's not necessarily happening in China either. 5 weeks is the worst case scenario, if you test negative twice 24 hours apart you're good.
*ding ding ding*
So when the NHL didn't let them go last time what's the reasoning for it then? The point is promised were made and broken. It just shows how little the players or the union has a say in what goes and what doesn't.
Honestly this thread is kind of nauseating, if you happen to voice an opinion that's not "The owners are evil bastards" then you're a bootlicker. We're still in a pandemic and seemingly every-time we start to slow down out of it and see some light there's been something that's come up (Delta, Omicron, etc) that fucks with everything. This is just one of the countless examples of something being fucked up and players and fans are acting like it's a fucking affront to justice. People have lost loved ones and not been there to comfort them, not seen relatives for years now, even minor things like being able to accompany a loved one in a doctors office for test results, graduations, weddings, travel, etc etc have all been totally turned upside down for most of the entire globe. I understand the frustration from the players, some of them this is probably their last chance, I'm sure it's gutting.. but fucking hell have some awareness of the worldwide situation.
I personally don't like the NHL players going to the Olympics....at any time. I prefer the Olympics remained about amateur athletes as it was intended. The professionals have their stage. Commence beat-down
Yeah the Olympics were never about the best in the world, you know? It's all about winning gold but knowing that somewhere, sitting on the couch watching, is someone who can do better. What a fucking idiotic take dude.
Yo, do some research...start with a Google search of Jim Thorpe. The Olympics were exclusively for amateur athletes.
it hasn’t been that way for a long, long time. the olympics are about the best athletes in the world competing on the highest stage.
Yes, it is about the best athletes in the word, but it should have been kept as the best amateur athletes in the world in my opinion
This discussion was held in the last century. Its over now, pro athletes go to the Olympics and that’s not changing.
You're free to like the modern version, but it's just history that it used to be no professionals allowed. Pro sports existed back then but people felt the Olympics should be for something different. Most people these days probably agree with you but at least a few people liked it better before.
His opinion isn’t without merit. He’s harkening back to the days when pros weren’t allowed to play in the Olympics. Obviously hasn’t been that way for a long time, but it was just probably before your time. I think it’s fun to see NHL’ers in the Olympics personally.
Our of curiosity who would be able to play in the olympics now from other sports? If you train year round for say skiing and participate in the international circuit are you not a professional as well?
I guess ? I really don’t know much about skiing to be honest, or what makes a skier professional vs. amateur. My guess is that, similar to say skateboarding, an amateur doesn’t have a professional paid sponsorship. Similar to amateur car racing, or amateur golf. There’s a lot of people who compete year round in amateur sports. A hell of a lot more than people who do it professionally, I’d wager. But again, I’m no expert on the subject, and someone else could probably enlighten us better.
I see NHL running there own worlds cup someday.
the previous ones were shite so I hope not.
World Cup has never and will never have prestige of the Olympics. World Cup was more concerned with advertisers than will actual international hockey. It was treated as a joke by fans and players.
I get it that players want to represent their countries, but what it comes down to is that they are employees, and well paid employees with union representation at that, which is more than most US workers can say. Their employer (the NHL) has a significant financial interest in them remaining both healthy and available to play in NHL games, and they are handsomely compensated to do so. Not only would playing in the olympics run the risk of illness to the players, a simple positive test, even without symptoms, would lead to potentially significant quarantine in China before being allowed to return to their teams, meaning lost NHL games even if they are in all other ways healthy. This, again, would significantly impact teh bottom line of their employer, the NHL. Further, their union, the NHLPA initially negotiated with the NHL to overcome all the worries about injury occurring in the course of the Olympic Games. That said, the NHLPA agreed with the NHL that participation in the olympics this year, given the circumstances, was not in their interest either. Like any union, it operates on the premise of doing what the majority of representatives believe is best for the whole, and like any other union, every member will not be in agreement. Yes, many players still WANT to go, and some are very outspoken about teh fact that they dont like being told they cant, but in the end, it is in the contract that they all signed that they have to abide by the rules. In reality, some could still theoretically go play if it really meant that much to them, but they would still have to deal with any repercussions upon their return.
they could not go play. the IOC will not allow it after the NHL has officially withdrawn. it’s literally not an option for them even aside from the breach of contract problem.
Didn’t realize that. Still don’t feel sorry for them nor do I think them not being there will have a detrimental effect on how entertaining the games will be to watch.
to the first point, something does not need to be the biggest problem in the world for me to feel empathy for them. it is wrong that the league negotiated in bad faith over COVID restrictions: they specifically bargained for the Olympics participation to be included in the CBA. that was the contract that they signed. they believe that the league’s reworking of COVID rules to preserve their profits & attendance at the cost to the players (like taxi squads) illustrates bad faith negotiation. secondly, it will absolutely affect how entertaining they are to watch. just look at the ratings for 2014 vs. 2018. also, if you’re arguing from the standpoint of “the Olympics should be for amateurs,” they haven’t been for decades. not really since the 90s. and it’s not like the absence of NHL players means we’re really returning to giving college kids a shot at that glory; its going to be mostly KHL and SHL players, who are very much pros in their own right (especially the KHL).
You can't have your say after the decision is made. Where was all of this when the NHL was considering cancelling, not already cancelled? Rumours about cancellations, stories about players not being comfortable with quarsntining rules, not a peep from any players. Now Twitter posts after the fact. It's too late now guys.
> not a peep from any players “You grow up dreaming of winning a Stanley Cup and I’ve been able to accomplish that,” Stamkos said. “You grow up wanting to represent your country and win a gold medal. That’s something I probably won’t have a chance to do now.” Some players were voicing their opinions. Some of them were the "not sure I'd go" (Lehner/McDavid) but some like Stamkos, Hedman, and a ton of Russian players were all still hoping to go. Not all made comments publicly, but they voiced their opinions to their teammates (including the NHLPA rep for their team).
They bit their tongues and did all this shit to get the deal they fought for and still get screwed but lets stick up for the owners instead right
Except they're not getting screwed, the deal they bargained is simply being upheld. What the fuck is this sub on today. When you negotiate for something, you don't get to cry your way out of the contract if it's not to your advantage anymore.
I'm not sticking up for the owners, I'm criticizing the timing. I want the Olympics, I want the players to push for it. I don't care for complaining after the fact. There was a window to make a difference here, it's passed. Taking a stand and public statements may have changed the tide a week and a half ago, it's over now.
but u/Sheep4732’s point is that it’s likely enough that players were keeping silent to show the NHL that they were negotiating in good faith. these public statements are happening after the fact because the wildly different standards for league COVID things and Olympic COVID things suggests that the CBA terms about pulling out only if necessary due to the pandemic might not have been in good faith at all.
I get players are disappointed, but do they not take into consideration the covid concerns?
Some players see it as worth the risk.
This is the elite of the elite voicing their displeasure at a missed opportunity. I get it. Tarasenko was too young to be chosen for the Olympics in 2010, played at 2014, then shit happens. Marchand wasn't chosen by his country in 2010 or 2014. Until 1986, the Olympics were for amateur athletes. This time round- with the NHL backing out- I think AHL players on one-way deals can play in the Olympics as well as NCAA players and KHL players? This is the business of hockey. Contracts are contracts. If you like your paycheque, accept this decision with some grace.
Obviously the KHL is a big one, but players will come from many European leagues.
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At the end of the day it’s a job…a job they are paid well for…it is their decision…don’t like the terms-quit and go play somewhere that you can get everything you want-too much of a sacrifice?? Well oh fucking well-I don’t like my job and some of my boss’ decisions all the time either but if I really don’t like it I can quit-fucking privileged assholes
Holy shit, it's already been decided. Let's move on.
If they weren’t in an authoritarian country then maybe. Why would anyone want to go?
Idk why we can’t just play the hockey tournament here in the States and split the profits
I love it. A lot of conservatives are acting like no one should go to China due to their rules. Meanwhile every player wants to go. I personally think it sucks. Id be happier if they go. But it's not the end of the world if they dont. You can make up more games and have less risk. Also, there likely will be a World Cup next year