Clock is ticking on NHL’s involvement in 2018 Winter Olympic Games

The NHL’s continued participation in the Winter Olympics will be a major topic of discussion at the Board of Governors meetings Thursday and Friday in Palm Beach, Fla.

The clock is ticking on NHL’s decision regarding the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

In order to provide countries reasonable time to develop national team plans, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to announce his league’s intentions shortly after the holidays.

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Although the NHL has participated for five consecutive Winter Games since 1998, NHL officials and owners have done so with reservations. Shutting down the league for two weeks causes business issues for some teams.Threat of injuries to superstar players is also a concern, and NHL officials have always wanted the International Olympic Committee to be more accommodating than it has been in exchange for using the NHL’s athletes.

That particular issue has reached a boiling point because the IOC is unwilling to pay for transportation or insurance cost for the NHL players.

That IOC position has pushed the NHL closer to deciding not to go. However, International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel said he has come up with at least $10 million to cover those costs.

Since then, the NHL proposed it would commit to Olympic participation if players would agree to extend the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. As expected, players declined that offer.

It’s unknown whether owners will vote on Olympic participation this or merely discuss Olympic participation in this week’s meetings.

Although the NHL’s reservations about the Olympics have become more pronounced, the idea of sending NHL players isn’t dead.

NHL officials understand that the Olympic stage provides the sport a larger global spotlight for a two-week period.

Also, NHL players  want to go, and not allowing that would damage the league's relationship with players. Alex Ovechkin has said publicly that he is going to play in 2018 regardless, and Washington Capitals owners Ted Leonsis told Sports Illustrated he would support Ovechkin’s decision

Even non-Olympic NHL players are overwhelmingly in favor of participation because they take full advantage of the Olympic break.

NBC is also an important stakeholder in this decision, and undoubtedly it would be in the network’s best interest if hockey’s greatest stars are competing.

Not every fan likes the NHL’s Olympic participation, but more fans favor it than not.

A final reason for the NHL to compete in South Korea is NHL officials’ fascination with the 2022 Games schedule for China. That’s a market that the NHL would like to tap. Although it’s possible the NHL could stay home from South Korea and commit to China, it would seem more generous to make a two-Olympic commitment.