To be honest, I rather not see NHL players taking part in the olympics, not because of the timing issues but rather I like seeing the younger guys play.... if you asked me whether I preferred watching the world juniors over the olympics, I would say the world juniors... the junior canadians there always try their hardest rather than watching a bunch of guys who treat it as an all-star game...
maybe during an olympic year, forget having a world juniors, just let them play in the olympics
I think the Olympics are the main place where you can see the best players from their countries playing against each other. I think the games are the 2nd best competition of hockey, behind the NHL. The Olympics should be the best of the best, and the NHL players should definitely have a place there.
Plus, I do think if the NHL doesn't allow players to play in the future then Russia and other European countries will be raking in the Gold's, Silver's and Bronze's. Which is part of a reason why I think the NHL will come around to letting the league's player base (majority North American) play.
I could also see, if the owners think this is a financial issue for protecting the players they pay. Then you could maybe see some contracts allowed to have "Olympic Games" clauses as a bargaining issue. Or something like that...
-- Edited by Eric_Isles on Saturday 3rd of October 2009 05:58:04 PM
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"As long as those gnome elite molecules emerge, we certainly can reduce casualties. Their warplanes troops would be nice."
then why not do something similar to football's olympic format, anyone under 23 is eligible while they can also have a couple overaged players in the squad?
I think there are a few reasons why the two are different. The Olympics for football (soccer) isn't a top of the line competition for the sport for international teams. They have the world cup every 4 years, and then the UFEA every 4 years as well. So every two years, for most of the top European Nations (of where a good portion of the football talent comes from), there is a top end international tournament. And it also happens that the Summer Olympics fall on the same summer as the EURO's. So even though the Olympics and Euro's are governed by two different bodies (FIFA & UEFA), the amount of competitions during some of the football leagues off-seasons (the summer) would be overwhelming.
I also think the financial impact and important between the two different sports is vastly different. When England didn't qualify for the 2008 Euro's I heard that their economy lost nearly 1 Billion in potential and associated revenue, if they would've qualified. I don't know if that number is true, but I would think that the implications from that estimate drastically overshadow anything that could result in Olympic Hockey. Point being, there is a much bigger financial reason why there is a 23 and Under age restriction for Olympic Football than (would be) Hockey.
While there are world cups and other international tournaments for hockey, nothing compares to the international talent of the Olympics. The world championships take place in late April, so there are about 8 NHL teams worth of players that aren't even allowed to compete due to them being in the NHL Playoffs. Even so some players able to compete, simply don't. Plus the international competitions, aside from the WC, aren't on a regular enough schedule to really generate enough interest.
I think that Olympic Hockey needs to have the best players because the international competition elsewhere isn't as great.
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"As long as those gnome elite molecules emerge, we certainly can reduce casualties. Their warplanes troops would be nice."
i don't think it was england's loss but rather austria's and switzerland's... england fans usually travel to see their team play, when they didn't qualify, austria and switzerland lost out....
i'm still going to enjoy watching the canadian team play, especially since it's being played in my hometown, but had it been in europe, i would probably get more enjoyment out of the world juniors than the olympics...
