NHL decides not to go to the 2018 Winter Olympics

The NHL chose today to announce that they're not going to the Olympics next year in Pyeonchang in South Korea. Doing so it ends a 20 year association with the quadrennial event. It means that there is a really question mark over what Canada and the USA do next. Not to mention European players who might want to represent their country but play in the American or Canadian Leagues.

Not going to the Olympics smacks of a backwards move to me when the league should be looking at attract more people to the sport through additional fans and, where possible, players. This decision not to go to Pyeonchang when the league has made noise about going to 2022 to China makes it even more ridiculous to understand.

Players in the NHL are now left with a dilemma. Do they defy the league and accept the punishment they face and go to the Olympics, knowing they'll likely be suspended or lose pay? If top European players like Ovechkin back up their repeated desire to attend what punishment would the NHL deem satisfactory because for top players that would hurt the league more than the players. Lower level players wouldn't have such a luxury though.

I've seen one point raised regarding players out of contract this year in that they could ask for permission to attend the Olympics as part of any contract. It's a risky move but one that could be utilised by players that are determined to attend. Other players who are perhaps more fringe NHL players but believe they have a chance to attend could head to Europe for a lucrative contract for a year. I don't see many doing that but some elder statesmen could.

One thing to look out for is if the players use this in the next round of talks when the CBA expires after the 2021-22 season stating that they will not sign a deal unless the NHL gives guarantees going forward that the players will be able to go to the Olympics. That is a long time away though so a less likely options.

Looking at it from a business point you can understand that the NHL would want some compensation and insurance from the IOC which, apparently, they don't get. And permission to promote the game with the Olympic image would help but other pro leagues in Europe seem to be able to cope with this fine, so why should the NHL be any different.

Going forward it is going to be interesting to see if any players dig in and demand to go and what the response will be. I'm hoping that the  IOC and NHL get back around the table to sort this out because not having NHL players at the Olympics would suck.