NHL to withdraw player participation in Olympics

*Photo from AP News*

   With leaguewide Covid-19 cases on the rise, and over 50 games postponed in a week, the NHL is putting their foot down. The NHL and the NHLPA have agreed to withdraw player participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, according to an announcement made by the league on Wednesday.

   NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said "The National Hockey League respects and admires the desire of NHL players to represent their countries and participate in a 'best on best' tournament. Accordingly, we have waited as long as possible to make this decision while exploring every available option to enable our players to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Unfortunately, given the profound disruption to the NHL's regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events, 50 games already have been postponed through Dec. 23, Olympic participation is no longer feasible."

   There was an opt out clause in the agreement that the NHL and NHLPA had made with the IIHF and IOC, that would allow the league to opt out of player participation in the Olympics if the conditions surrounded by Covid-19 worsened, and that has sure happened across the league, with over 15% of the players leaguewide currently in the league's Covid-19 protocols.

   IIHF president Luc Tardiff said of the news that "Although we are disappointed to receive this decision by the NHL and NHLPA, we nevertheless fully understand the circumstances that forced this action to be taken. Throughout the discussions with the IOC, NHL and NHLPA, we always operated with the understanding that this was a scenario that might occur. It was a shock to see how COVID-19 affected the NHL schedule almost overnight, and we understand the NHL's decision is in the best interest of the health and safety of its players."

   There was a break in the schedule for the NHL to accommodate the Olympic participation of it's players, which was agreed to when the two sides negotiated a CBA extension. The break included NHL all star weekend and the Olympics. All star weekend, in Las Vegas, will still go on as planned, but now, the break that would have been for the Olympics will now be used for making up previously postponed games.

   Bettman said of the need to play rescheduled games that "Our focus and goal have been and must remain to responsibly and safely complete the entirety of the NHL regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs in a timely manner. Therefore, with stringent health protocols once again in place, we will begin utilizing available dates during the Feb. 6-22 window to reschedule games that have been, or may yet be, postponed."