Should The NHL Forgo The Next Olympics?

Jun 12, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks at a press conference before game one of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

There are many arguments for and against the NHL participating in the 2018 Winter Games to be held in South Korea, chief among them the shutting down of the league for two weeks. Gary Bettman and the league argue that allowing NHL players to play in the Olympics hurts league revenues and branding, since the league is forced to shut down for much of February. February is prime time for NHL teams, since major competing sports like football and baseball are not on. The league argues that it loses valuable time to gain new fans, and that shutting down for two weeks loses them revenues. But is this really true, since the league doesn’t actually play any less games? In my opinion, if the NHL is really that concerned about lost revenue and lost fans, they wouldn’t have locked out half of last season. Two weeks for the Olympics is nothing compared to what they lost last year.

Another reason given for the possible NHL boycott of the next Olympics is South Korea’s lack of interest and participation in hockey. I think this is a reasonable argument, until you look at history. The NHL did not participate in the games before 1998. In 1998, Bettman allowed the NHL players to begin competing in the Olympics, and the Games that year were held in Japan.  If they started in Japan, is South Korea any different? Japan is not a competitor in Olympic hockey either, so in my opinion this argument doesn’t hold up.

Also, every US hockey fan remembers the Miracle On Ice in the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, NY where the USA beat the all-powerful Soviet Union team in the Olympics. That game was won with no NHL players. The reason it was a miracle was because a bunch of college hockey players from the US came together to beat one of the world’s best teams in the sport. People argue that now that the NHL players play in the Olympics, we don’t have miracles. all you have to do is look at the NHL players on each country’s roster and you can pretty well predict how every team will do. Would the Olympics be more interesting without pro players competing? Would we see another Miracle On Ice? Perhaps, but who knows.

Lots of people, however argue that without the NHL players the Olympic hockey competition would be boring. The Olympics is for the best of the best, and in many cases the best hockey players around the world play in the NHL. Without them, the Olympics would lose many valuable players. Plus, many NHL fans watch the Olympics simply to see their favorite players from their favorite team play against each other. Not allowing them in might take away from the entertainment value the game has.

Lastly, the players have a say.  Should they be denied the right to represent their countries in the biggest sporting event in the world, simply because the league might lose some fans and some money? Does that seem fair? Some players, however, argue that the Olympics is just another chance for them to get injured and not be able to play for their NHL teams, which they get paid to do.  Seems there are even conflicting views between the players themselves.

While we wait for an official announcement from the NHL, what do you think? Should the league’s best go to South Korea and compete in the 2018 Olympics, or keep playing here in the US and Canada instead?