Oddly enough, it doesn’t raise the NHL’s numbers that much. Lots of Americans watch Olympic hockey, but not many of those people go on to watch the NHL after. It’s a niche sport, and that’s all its really ever going to be in the USA. The numbers aren’t dropping off a ton. Hockey just seems to be for hockey people, and…

Sort of. The USA and Canada will send junior teams, but no other professional leagues are considering not allowing their players to go, so countries like Sweden, Russia, Finland, etc. will have professional players there. They won’t have their top players, however, as most of them play in the NHL.

Less than 30 Russians play in the NHL currently. Superstars make just as much (or more) money playing in other leagues.

Kessel was named the top forward of all teams at the last Olympics. He has only played better since then in the NHL. The reasoning for leaving him off, above all others, is just ridiculous. Shattenkirk, Yandle, Faulk would have improved the defense a ton, and Johnson would have been their #1 centre most likely. It was…

The top players (their product) are demanding to go. If they stop allowing it without a prestigious international tournament to take it’s place, they are only doing the KHL and other leagues favors. The NHL will start losing foreign players, and will be at odds with their Canadian players who also want to participate.…

NHL participation in the Olympics isn’t going to disappear unless the NHLPA can’t reach a deal with the IOC (the NHL isn’t the only entity that has to get on board, and as much as players want to play in the Olympics, the IOC are currently being pricks to the NHLPA), or if the World Cup of Hockey becomes a booming…

Did the hips out fist raise just become my new move?

Haha I am actually the same. I get to pick who I want to cheer for every playoffs. Now that you brought up ‘93 I am going to be depressed the rest of the night though. Fuckin’ Gretzky.

I completely agree with this. I think the players care a lot more than people are saying, too. There has been some great hockey at the World Cup. Players aren’t just phoning it in. Canada may appear that way, but it’s the same way they won in 2014. They play a very conservative game.

The largest problem with international hockey right now is Canada’s dominance. Canada is always a favorite in international play, but the team over the past 6-year has been outrageously good. Babcock’s style of play with the level of talent they have is too hard to beat. There have been eras of Canadian hockey with…

So true. As a Leafs fan, I only vaguely know what the playoffs are.

BINGO! Also, Crosby boosts the Bruins’ line a bit.

The whole point of the World Cup is to avoid the mid-season break. The NHL wants the WCoH to replace the Olympics, stop allowing NHL players to participate in the Olympics, and not have to have the break every 4 years.

I do not believe they do in the CL.

You’ve got me there, the only source I have is hearsay.

I am sure this isn’t the right place, but Drew, I just finished The Hike last night, and really enjoyed it!

Sister/ girlfriend.

You aren’t wrong. I would actually argue that Canada has more talent coming up. The point is that the USA finally has comparable talent coming up to compete against us, and that is great for the game.

Who would they be protesting in this scenario? Themselves? I am a proud EMU alum, but will happily admit that graduating (while working and competing as a student-athlete) wasn’t the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The graduation rates at EMU have never been great across the board, but I think there are a lot of other…

It’s not about being surprised, it’s just praising a well handled situation in a week where that hasn’t been the case across the board. I thought the students and the police both deserved some credit, and wrote about it here because I sometimes write comments about things here.