Discussion: Should the NHL participate in the 2014 Olympics?

The 2014 games will be played in Russia. Should the NHL shut down for 2 weeks while its best players go halfway around the world to play in the Olympic tournament?

Justin Evans: I'd leave it up to the players.

Tim Daily: Leaving it up to the players is a nice idea, but it will never happen. The owners are well aware of the risks that involve sending their best players halfway around the world for two weeks - jet lag, potential injury in a country where medical care is in question (see Alexei Cherepanov). Even if the players association decided to vote on it, what would that mean? Literally nothing until it's covered in the CBA - and when they renegotiate it I can guarantee you the owners are not going to give the players that kind of power.

I had originally thought we should send them over there, but now I'm almost against it. I want to see the best players in the world play in this tournament but the bottom line is that I will not be watching games at 4 AM...and if I'm not watching, nobody in the United States will be. It would do almost nothing but showcase our best talent for Russia. The only positive I can see coming out of that is giving them the awareness that despite paying some of our stars ridiculous contracts after taxes, NHL players are just that much better. To me that's not worth it.

Andrew Harvey: I agree with Tim. Growing the game in the US is far more important than maintaining the popularity in Europe. Shutting down the league for 2 weeks is not worth it for what would likely add up to a very marginal increase in viewers.

Erik Sundermann: I have a feeling I will be one of, if not the only person, on the side of going. The people who are going to watch every Olympic game are the same people who watch now regardless of time slots. With TiVo a game being at 4:00am really does not matter though one would have to avoid the internet until they watch the game. I know that shutting down the league for two weeks and the travel is a pain in the ass but they have done it twice before so using that as an excuse is weak in my opinion. I also do not mind losing the all-star game because it sucks as it is.

Andrew: No all-star game is the best part of the Olympics.

Nate Wells: In all honesty, there are many reasons for both sides. While it's a great way to showcase the NHL, I think this will be an issue that the NHL owners use as leverage over both the players in the next CBA talks and the KHL (which also holds some cards in this standoff).

Dara Heaps: I'm torn on this issue. I'm for it because I love seeing the best players play against each other and actually care (unlike the all-star game where the players don't give a shit). Players also seem to play even harder in the Olympics, especially the Euro players (see: Pavol Demitra, Pavel Datsyuk giving a shit when Russia scored).

I'm against it because of all the complications involved. I hate shutting the league down for 2 weeks and all the back-to-back games that result from the Olympic freeze. Games will be on at 4:00am and no body will be up to watch them anyway. Its important to grow the league in the US and games at 4AM won't do it (but not participating won't do it either). I hadn't even thought of the medical care in Sochi until Tim mentioned it but that's also an issue but I figure the Olympic committee will have it up to scratch but who knows. In the end, I lean no more than yes.

Chris Mitchell: It'll obviously be the same for the other North American athletes or players from North America, but just think of the toll the time change will have on their bodies. Then when they're finally accustomed to the time change, they go back home.

Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of the NHL being in Sochi. I don't like shutting down the league for two weeks, and yeah, I'll play the selfish card and say that another part of the reason I don't want them there is because I won't be able to actually watch the games live.

Perry Padilla: It's once every 4 years so it doesn't sound like a big deal. But, in a league that is desperate for ratings and fanbase, I think it's an awful idea to stop playing for 2 weeks. Playoff races start to heat up, trade deadline is coming up...it's also so close to the playoffs and you don't want your star players getting hurt.