The head of the International Ice Hockey Federation is going to do all he can to get NHL players back into the Olympics in 2022.
The NHL decided its players would not participate in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018 for several reasons. For one, the 14-hour time difference would not be conducive for fans in the United States to watch, but also, the league did not want to put a halt to its schedule for three weeks in the middle of the season.
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Many players wanted to play in the event, but the NHL and team owners did not want them to participate. Owners also noted players would come back with injuries from the Olympics, which would create problems down the stretch of their schedule.
The NHL had similar concerns before approving NHL players to play in the Olympics beginning in 1998.
It's a problem the IIHF must solve, even if it won't be easy.
”I have to. I have no choice," IIHF president Rene' Fasel told NBC Sports. "I have to for the hockey fans, for our game.”
Fasel will have a challenge on his hands though, as the Olympics will be in Beijing, China in 2022. The same time-difference issues will remain, and there is no clear solution for solving both the three-week pause in the schedule or potential injuries to players.
However, if the players were to insist on playing, it could force the NHL's hand.
”The solution is in the hands of the players,” Fasel said. ”Because without the players what can we do? If they want to come to the Games, they have to say so.”
