NHL Discussion (Other than Jets)

[theaardvark]

Sad that a lot of great players for many countries will never get to play together in the Olympics.

Most pro players played with their countrymen at the world juniors, and other similar tourneys.  The Olympics is really just a dog and pony show, with maybe 3 or 4 teams in the running...

[blue_or_die]

Most pro players played with their countrymen at the world juniors, and other similar tourneys.  The Olympics is really just a dog and pony show, with maybe 3 or 4 teams in the running...

Massive undersell. This is the biggest stage with the best players in the world, in their prime, playing for their country. Did you not watch any of the Winter Olympics with NHL players? It steals the entire show.

[Pigskin]

Massive undersell. This is the biggest stage with the best players in the world, in their prime, playing for their country. Did you not watch any of the Winter Olympics with NHL players? It steals the entire show.

Agree, Olympic hockey with the NHL players is the best showdown in the world.

[blue_gold_84]

Most pro players played with their countrymen at the world juniors, and other similar tourneys.  The Olympics is really just a dog and pony show, with maybe 3 or 4 teams in the running...

The publicity and coverage the Olympics get are second to none, with hockey being no exception and one of the most popular sports in the winter games, showcasing the world's best talent and most established talent.

The WJHC gets very little coverage by comparison, not to mention it's made up of junior players who have little to no professional experience and/or aren't even drafted.

There is no comparison whatsoever. It's literally men vs. boys.

Your comparison is poorly founded.

Massive undersell. This is the biggest stage with the best players in the world, in their prime, playing for their country. Did you not watch any of the Winter Olympics with NHL players? It steals the entire show.

This. It's also a ridiculous, utterly nonsensical undersell with no basis in objective reality.

[theaardvark]

Sure, compared to luge doubles, hockey is a better watch.

But trying to compare Olympic hockey (the worlds best players tossed onto half a dozen competitive teams at the last minute) to NHL playoff hockey (the same best players in the world on teams they've played on all year long, coached by the same coaches all year) is kinda like apples and oranges, both have merits, but the Olympics is really just an exhibition game.  Bigger ice, different rules... sure, they change the game... and having fewer teams to put the stars on, and having lots of the best players not make teams due to numbers, well, plus and minue.

Will the Olympics suffer without Hockey?  You bet.  Will the players or the fans suffer without it?  Nope. And if it ends up causing a superpreader event and hurts the NHL, then its a lose / lose...  especially if a player ends up dead or ends his career to long COVID. 

[Pigskin]

Connor McDavid has a different opinion. He says there is no substitute for the Olympics.

[theaardvark]

Connor McDavid has a different opinion. He says there is no substitute for the Olympics.

Connor McDavid is going to love the Olympics, he's always going to make a team that is one of the favourites.  What's not to like about that, compared to his NHL gig...

[blue_or_die]

Sure, compared to luge doubles, hockey is a better watch.

But trying to compare Olympic hockey (the worlds best players tossed onto half a dozen competitive teams at the last minute) to NHL playoff hockey (the same best players in the world on teams they've played on all year long, coached by the same coaches all year) is kinda like apples and oranges, both have merits, but the Olympics is really just an exhibition game.  Bigger ice, different rules... sure, they change the game... and having fewer teams to put the stars on, and having lots of the best players not make teams due to numbers, well, plus and minue.

Will the Olympics suffer without Hockey?  You bet.  Will the players or the fans suffer without it?  Nope.And if it ends up causing a superpreader event and hurts the NHL, then its a lose / lose...  especially if a player ends up dead or ends his career to long COVID. 

Please explain how players giving up their dream to represent their country and compete for an Olympic medal and fans foregoing seeing the best players from their favourite teams in the NHL play for their countries is not a detriment to those parties.

[theaardvark]

Please explain how players giving up their dream to represent their country and compete for an Olympic medal and fans foregoing seeing the best players from their favourite teams in the NHL play for their countries is not a detriment to those parties.

Pretty sure any player this year that would have been an Olympian either already has been, or will potentially be in 4 years...

But either way... if you want to see your favourite player play for the Stanley Cup this year, them going to Beijing would probably end that option... athletes there will probably get COVID of some form, or will end up in quarantine to the detriment of their teams/selves...

The proper thing is to delay the whole tournament at least a year...

[blue_or_die]

Pretty sure any player this year that would have been an Olympian either already has been, or will potentially be in 4 years...

But either way... if you want to see your favourite player play for the Stanley Cup this year, them going to Beijing would probably end that option... athletes there will probably get COVID of some form, or will end up in quarantine to the detriment of their teams/selves...

The proper thing is to delay the whole tournament at least a year...

The last time NHL players were in the Olympics was 2014. There are a ton of new NHL stars who would be playing for their respective countries.

If your reasons for thinking the this tournament shouldn?t happen this way are COVID-related, that?s fair, but that?s not admitting this is a massive loss to many on so many levels.

And in your comparison of this coming at the expense of winning a Stanley Cup?uh, I guess it could hurt your chances but given there are 32 teams and a Canadian team hasn?t won in 3 decades, I?d take my chances and go with this tourney with NHL stars that happens once every four years (actually, 12 years now, assuming they get to play next Winter Olympics).

[theaardvark]

Question:

In the days before Russian players being allowed to leave Russia for the NHL, do you think they'd have traded Olympic Gold for a Stanley Cup?   Or just to play in the NHL "professionally"?

Just saying, millionaires missing out on "playing for their country" in a venue specifically designed for *amateur* athletics (in the past, medals were stripped for medalists taking expense money prior to the games), who probably already have Gold Medals from juniors or other pre-professional "world" tournaments is not a tragedy...

Sure, great TV, entertainment for people starving for sports to fill our pandemic lives, but is really a fair competition or compelling other than boosting the CAN/US testosterone for beating up on Switzerland?

The Olympics has been monitized, and its purity as a sporting competition between nations has changed dramatically since the 60's, when it was a much more interesting (IMHO) event.  The USA basketball "Dream Team" spelled the end of the era of Olympics in my eyes...

[Jesse]

Question:

In the days before Russian players being allowed to leave Russia for the NHL, do you think they'd have traded Olympic Gold for a Stanley Cup?   Or just to play in the NHL "professionally"?

Just saying, millionaires missing out on "playing for their country" in a venue specifically designed for *amateur* athletics (in the past, medals were stripped for medalists taking expense money prior to the games), who probably already have Gold Medals from juniors or other pre-professional "world" tournaments is not a tragedy...

Sure, great TV, entertainment for people starving for sports to fill our pandemic lives, but is really a fair competition or compelling other than boosting the CAN/US testosterone for beating up on Switzerland?

The Olympics has been monitized, and its purity as a sporting competition between nations has changed dramatically since the 60's, when it was a much more interesting (IMHO) event.  The USA basketball "Dream Team" spelled the end of the era of Olympics in my eyes...

1. I don't know why you're trying to turn this into and either/or situation. The Olympics or the Stanley Cup. We want both. In Europe, the professional soccer leagues build their schedule around the national/world tournaments. This is what we want the NHL to do.

2. The Olympics is about the best athletes in the world competing against each other for national pride. Sure, capitalism and professional sports has changed for certain athletes. But why should hockey players not be allowed to compete because more people watch their sport than speed skating?

3. Your argument is wrong in that US and Canada are not the only hockey nations anymore and in that every single Olympic event consists of the larger nations dominating the smaller ones. It does not make it any less engaging for the people watching or any less of an honour for the athletes participating.

4. Everything is monetized or it wouldn't happen. The IOC is as corrupt as it comes and yeah, I'd make a lot of changes if I could, but it's happening. So turn on the TV and enjoy it or stick your head in the sand and choose not to give it your attention.

[Pigskin]

Wow, are the Oilers ever in a bad funk right now.

[Pigskin]

Looks like Cole P. mite have a shot at going to the Olympics.

[Pigskin]

Looks like Montreal has 24 players and staff in Covid protocol.