NHL, NHLPA agree to pull out of 2022 Winter Olympics
The NHL’s COVID-19 outbreak has cost it the Winter Olympics.
The league and players association agreed Tuesday not to participate in the 2022 Beijing Games, according to reports. The news came one day after the sides agreed to start the NHL’s annual holiday break early because of the continued spread of COVID-19. Fifty games have been postponed this season, and more than 100 players are in the league’s COVID-19 protocol.
An official announcement was expected Wednesday.
Players made Olympic participation a priority when negotiating the 2020 collective bargaining agreement extension. The NHL, NHLPA and International Ice Hockey Federation reached a deal in September to allow players to go to Beijing, but it allowed the sides to back out if conditions were deemed unsafe.
The league and players association said Sunday the pandemic led to renewed discussions. The NHL hasn’t participated in an Olympics since 2014.
“If we don’t get an opportunity to go, it’ll be a shame, both on a personal level but also there’s a group of players that this is a once-in-a-lifetime type thing,” said Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer, who was set to be a Team Canada assistant, on Tuesday morning before the news was official. “That window between your age and where you are in your career and opportunity for some guys only comes along once. The (Connor) McDavids of the world are probably going to get multiple opportunities to play. But there’s a lot of guys that aren’t in that group, and you feel for them.”
Numerous Knights probably would have participated in the Olympics. DeBoer and assistant coach Misha Donskov were on Canada’s staff, and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was one of three players selected to the roster.
Right wing Mark Stone (Canada), defenseman Shea Theodore (Canada), left wing Max Pacioretty (U.S.), center William Karlsson (Sweden), right wing Evgenii Dadonov (Russian Olympic Committee), right wing Jonas Rondbjerg (Denmark) and left wing Sven Baertschi (Switzerland) were also likely to receive consideration. Only Pietrangelo and Pacioretty have played in an Olympics.
Goaltender Robin Lehner (Sweden) previously said he wouldn’t go to the Olympics, citing mental health concerns. Athletes are expected to be placed in a strict, bubble-like environment to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and potentially face a lengthy quarantine if they test positive.
Left wing Jonathan Marchessault, who participated in a World Championships with Team Canada, said Tuesday morning he heard from previous Olympians that some of their best experiences were watching other events and sightseeing. But that wouldn’t have been the case in 2022, he said.
“It wouldn’t have been a good experience for the guys that would have been going,” Marchessault said. “It grows the game also to play on a big stage like the Olympics, but on a personal note, there’s so much uncertainty over there. I don’t think it’s necessarily worth it.”
The NHL could use the Olympic break, scheduled for Feb. 6 to 22, to make up the postponed games, but arena availability could make scheduling tricky. T-Mobile Arena, for example, is scheduled to host concerts from Kane Brown (Feb. 6), George Strait (Feb. 11, 12) and Justin Bieber (Feb. 20) while players were supposed to be in Beijing.
NHL All-Star Game Weekend is scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5 at T-Mobile Arena.
Silver Knights postponed
The Silver Knights’ Wednesday game at Orleans Arena was postponed Tuesday because of COVID-19 protocols affecting the Ontario Reign.
No makeup date has been scheduled. All ticket holders will receive an email from the Silver Knights with more information.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
