Whiney NHL at Olympic Rant
 

So before I start, I'm Canadian and believe we should put the best team forward we can at the Olympics but having said that......

I don't think the NHL season should take a break during the Olympics, it is the teams decision to let contracted players go and the players decision to take the opportunity.

So why should the fans go without 3 weeks of hockey?

I think they should play on as if it was not happening and if some teams want to send their best players off, so be it, make due during the absence, think of it as an injury.

I think this would make teams think twice on who goes and maybe they could dip into the farm teams to bring players up for a few weeks, or better still give them the opportunity to represent their country after all they are the up and coming NHL and a team of our prime Canadian youth should be good enough to play at the Olympic level.

Thoughts?

Are you a fan on hockey or the NHL? If you are a fan of hockey, you are about to see the best hockey on the planet. Watch the games. They'll be great

Totally disagree, a lot of these athletes dream of wearing their nations colors at the Olys. What if your favorite teams owner or GM says to a player nope you can't go..how happy do you think that guy will be on your team..and it's world class hockey so it's not like you're missing out on hockey.
I'd be fine if they took professionals out and made it pure amateur again but that's impossible IMO

I'm with this guy. I'd rather watch Olympic hockey anyday over the nhl. The best the world has to offer playing for pride and glory of thier country, not for money.

I for one would rather forego three weeks of NHL in favor of bringing the absolute best Olympic Team to play for the Gold Medal. Missing a few weeks of NHL hockey every eight years is well worth the opportunity to watch what I consider better hockey at the Olympics.

When one factors in some of these stringent contracts with NHL organizations it may hinder a good old Canadian farm boy from living out his dream of representing his home country at the Olympics.

Every 4 years

Hockey fan
 

I'm a fan of hockey, and I will watch the Olympics as extra hockey, but between those games I want to watch my regular season at the regular times.

I don't think the whole NHL season should be put on hold, they should work around (and through) the Olympics.

And you are quite correct I don't see it going back to amateur either!

I think if they had to continue the season through the Olympics then we would see who REALLY wants the Stanley Cup by the simply seeing who refuses to send their best assets off for three weeks!

The NHL is a business, run it like one and give the paying customers what they want and pay for.

I side with the majority here. Losing three weeks out of a season every four years to watch some even better hockey is not a problem in the least. With that being said: GO CANADA!!!

Really lost interest in any event that has lost the intent of the olympics. Amateur athletes, hockey, basketball, just send the people that play for the love of the game. not 10-25million a season have even lost intrest in track and field ,sports I loved growing up even the glorious game of ruggers ruined by pros .

Lost Season
 

Maybe it has been all the lost seasons and shorten schedules due to labor problems that just highlights the missing games more due to the Olympics.

Our NHL seasons have been screwed up way to often lately to let me be a good sport about yet another interruption.

Perfect chance to catch up on Honey Boo Boo

Catch up? Why would you even be behind, it's on for about 7 hours every Thursday.

Olympic Hockey is the crown jewel of the Olympics. The NHL gets exposure and it translates into dollars and sense from the growth in the interest of hockey, but in the end there is huge risks to owners in the NHL. The Olympics don't want to share the gravy train and cite the whole spirit of the games BS. Olympics are big business, and hockey is integral to exposure especially in North America.

My opinion is frankly I'd rather watch a real world championship every four years. A 5-6 game round robin, with a sudden death quarter and semis, and 3 game final. A real world tourney played in North America and Europe. I watch the Olympic hockey, and thats what is available. Too many NHL owners will say the heck with the Olympics because they won't go to the next Nagano or Turin or Lillehammer.

Lastly why is Rick Nash and Carter on the team. Only Canada can afford to leave some of its top players at home.

If that were to happen, it would be like watching the Spengler Cup--Canada would get beat around, because all of our best players would be tied up in North America. Olympic Gold would go the Russians or Czechs every time because they could afford to drag enough solid players from the KHL or Czech elite league.

Exactly
 

The best playing at the best level of competitive effort, because they are playing for pride and not just "enduring" the season. And, in this case, on the "big ice". Its once every 4 years - the NHL can suck it up. In fact, my own view is that the problem (from an entertainment viewpoint) with NHL hockey is that while the players have become so much bigger, faster, and stronger (compared to the distant past), and we have injected an extra referee, the ice surface has stayed the same size. The skill game is restricted more and more. I think the NHL should legislate that all new arenas have Olympic size surfaces, and that within ___?___ years all NHL ice surfaces be that size (or even bigger?). Do we want to see who is best at "clogging", or who has rounded up the most actual skill?

Totally agree. And if the NHL let their players go to the Olympics without taking a break, Chicago, St. Louis and Detriot would have about 6 players left each....

Is it because your handle is `Sputnik'? You just want the russians to win :sHa_shakeshout:

Just think of the fans that pay$$$ to watch games, now the top players are not there. Are they happy about that? Probably not, that's where a lot of revenue comes from. 2 weeks off every 4 years isn't to bad, makes more people watch more of there Canada. IMOP

:snapoutofit:

Olympic hockey:sHa_shakeshout:

Sputnik
 

BigDad013......good one, but no....I want Canada to win!

I thought of the KHL angle, I know if the NHL players did not play Canada would be somewhat at a disadvantage if the other teams are still stacked.

But if our nation sponsored a real Olympic Hockey team that was formed specifically for the games, properly coached and practiced for 4 years in preparation perhaps it would not matter if the other countries brought their "pros" in.

I really like the idea of the bigger ice.....

Every team still plays 41 home and 41 away games. They aren't missing any games. The season is on a 2 week break. Thats it.

X2...

Just like the juniors during Xmas....This is exciting hockey....

NHL games mid February...Yawn compared to what we are going to see...Yes, we have to wait and I would like to watch Hockey tonight, but anticipation of this week coming up is priceless

I don't care either way. However I am sure a lot of the players not taking part are welcoming the opportunity to spend time with family during the Olympics.

watching the oilers lose all the time is like watching paint dry , i'm glad we get a team to be proud of ,even if its only for a few weeks.

I like the Olympic hockey, it's great to see the best in the world compete. I do not however like the games in the middle of the night. I would almost prefer a World Hockey Championship played in September before the NHL season opens. Have it be played in Canada or the USA every other time. Hold it every 3 years. That's way NHL clubs host their prospects camp and the pros go to the World Championships. The media attention once every six years in a North American market would be awesome.

I agree....

But there really isn't anything amateur about any of the sports any more. Something seems to be missing having the pro's competeing.

Having said that we are in for one hell of a hockey tournement.


LS

I, like most red blooded Canadians, love their hockey.

This NHL break allows me the time to support the amateur level in my community.

The best kept secret lies in the junior leagues as well as at the collegiate level.

In Calgary we have the SAIT Trojans, MRU Cougars and the U of C Dinos. There is not a bad seat in the house and the players fly out there. It is truly good entertainment.
Remember most of these players have played somewhere professionally and have returned to get an education.

As for the juniors, they want to play somewhere professionally......No shortage of effort....No hockey withdrawal here....

Don't worry Sputnik you'll get your wish if the NHL doesn't commit its players to the 2018 Winter Olympics.

In the mean time no fan of Canadian Hockey complains about a 3 week break from the NHL to watch our top players compete on the biggest hockey stage for a gold medal.

I like the Olympics but everything else is just filler until the Men's gold medal hockey game is played.

Go Canada GO

The Olympics is for amateur athletes, period.

I had more respect for hockey players who had to get a real job when the season ended.

Though having trained a few hockey players at work... saying yes coach for 10-15 years through childhood really gives them the ability to think for themselves and solve problems...

With regards to the NHL....MEH I just dont care.I have not watched a game on TV since the last lockout/strike and I sure as hell wont fork over my har earned money to take in a Flames game LOL.

I do of course support the idea that the best of the best Canadian NHL players be on the Olympic team as I do want and pretty much expect Canada to win the gold medal as it is the national sport(and lacrosse just dont count).

I expect the gold medal for both womens and mens hockey at the Olympics.

FTH