There was no room to discuss the Olympics. Several players are very disappointed – ŠPORT.sk

According to ESPN television, the NHL management has already agreed with the NHLPA, but details and the official opinion have not yet been released. This is expected to happen in the coming hours.

“The NHLPA has had to go through its own internal process and made a number of phone calls to the players. They also have to negotiate with the International Olympic Committee to confirm this. It will not work without it.

In its assessment, the NHL is likely to point out that the current wave of COVID-19 has obviously had a more significant effect on the season, something that could not have been taken into account in the agreement to allow players to play in Beijing. A large number of missed matches would also negatively affect the seasonal income distribution system and the business must be maintained. ” said the editor of the Canadian TSN Pierre LeBrun.

According to another overseas hockey expert Chris Johnston, several of the world’s leading players have not enthusiastically received the information that they will not be able to play after Pyongyang 2018 or Beijing 2022. “As far as I know, the hockey players wanted to talk to NHLPA boss Donald Fehr or their organization’s lawyers, but they weren’t allowed to do so. They were really told they wouldn’t fly to Beijing because it was out of the question. Many of them were very disappointed.” wrote Johnston.

Formerly great Russian hockey player Darius Kasparaitis is also disappointed with the current situation. The holder of the medal set from the Winter Olympics disappointedly claims that once something has been promised, it should be fulfilled.

“It’s terrible what’s going on in the NHL. I understand that a new coronavirus variant is spreading in the NHL, but it’s not right if players don’t have a choice and especially if the competition has already reached an agreement to release them. There must always be choice, and not just a ban. Every athlete should have the right to take part in the Olympic Games. “ quotes a former great defender with nearly a thousand NHL matches Russian site Championat.com.

The facts are relentless. They had to postpone 50 games in the NHL before the extended Christmas break, and it is expected that the February break, originally reserved for the participation of hockey players at the 2022 Olympics, will be used as an alternative date for this large portion of matches. The negative attitudes of the NHL and NHLPA to the participation of hockey stars from overseas in Beijing were probably also contributed to by the information that in the event of coronavirus infection during the 2022 Olympic Games, players would be threatened with quarantine for several weeks.