Speaking at the NHL meetings in Pebble Beach a few days ago, league commissioner Gary Bettman said there isn’t time to plan a 2021 World Cup of Hockey.
Naturally, the conversation quickly turned to the NHL’s potential participation in the 2022 Olympic Games. The league took a pass on the 2018 Winter Olympics, correctly stating that there just isn’t enough benefit to the NHL to suspend the season for two weeks in the middle of winter. (National Hockey League players took part in the five Olympic tournaments prior to 2018.)
Many of the NHL’s best players want to play for Olympic gold, but Bettman is taking the proper stand. Until the NHL can benefit from the use of images and video of the tournament and have greater promotional opportunities from the games, why should owners jeopardize millions in assets and close their businesses down for two weeks in the middle of winter while doing so?
The NHL did the right thing in 2018 and, if nothing changes, should do the same thing in 2022 in Beijing.