OlymPicks: Why NHL's 2022 Snub Could Rub Hockey's Biggest Player the Wrong Way
OlymPicks is an ongoing blog series whereby we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.
Even though the league’s commissioner says it’s unlikely, hockey's biggest star still hopes he can make it happen.
When asked about the National Hockey League’s participation in the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, Pittsburgh Penguins captain, and Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold Medal winner, Sidney Crosby told The Sports Network “I hope we find a way to get there.”
Of course, Crosby is not the only player looking to partake in the Beijing 2022 Olympics, though a win at the event would be particularly poignant for him seeing as though he helped his native Canada win Gold Medals at both the 2010 Vancouver Games and again at Sochi in 2014. In fact, USA Today reports that Olympic participation is “is expected to be an issue in upcoming collective-bargaining talks.”
However, all that clashes with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's high-profile disinterest in participating. In 2017, the league's strained talks with Olympic officials devolved to the point that the NHL opted out of the Pyeongchang 2018 Games, leaving prospects for Beijing 2022 grim.
Bettman doubled down on that sentiment Nov 1, calling the Olympics "terribly disruptive" to the regular hockey season because regular games need to be put on hold throughout much of February in order for players to partake. He also takes issue with Olympic officials' hesitance to help cover insurance costs.
Instead, Bettman has his eyes set on shorter visiting games in emerging international markets. He pointed to 23 regular-season games played in Europe since 2007 that were each a "fantastic success" in his view. Prime example: last week's two games between the Florida Panthers and the Winnipeg Jets at Helsinki's 13,500-seat Hartwall Arena, tickets for which sold out in less than five minutes (read a recap of that game here).
That means Beijing hockey fans shouldn't get too heartsick given that China is one of the biggest prizes in Bettman's eyes, with exhibition games happening annually in the autumn in Beijing and Shanghai. But even if Crosby's Penguins do get to play the next NHL exhibition game in Beijing, for him it might be a small consolation compared to having a shot at a third Olympic Gold Medal.
Excited for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games? Keep up with all of our coverage right here.
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Sports Net, Associated Press (via USA Today)
