Is the NHL really done with the 2018 Olympics? Five questions answered
The hockey world is suddenly engulfed with question marks after the NHL announced that it wouldn’t be attending the 2018 Olympics.
Here are five questions answered:
1. Is this really over?
Probably not. While the NHL said it considers the matter closed, there’s still plenty of time for the league, the International Olympic Committee or NHL Players’ Association to change course towards a deal. It wasn’t until the summer of 2013 that the league committed to going to the Sochi Games. The IOC also told the NHL that the vastly more appealing 2022 Beijing Games are off the table if the league won’t commit to 2018. It’s difficult to envision the NHL passing up China, but maybe equally as unlikely is the IOC actually moving ahead for two Olympics without the best product hockey has to offer. No Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews hurts viewership. The NHL has been murky about what it actually needs to sway the minds of resisting owners, but many players seem to believe the NHL is bluffing and remained hopeful things could change.