Once 2018 comes around, the NHL may not have a part in the Olympics for the first time since the 1994 Games.
NHL officials have reportedly not committed to allowing their players to be a part of the Olympics past February’s Sochi games, leaving in doubt USA Hockey’s future as well as if 150 players selected to play in Sochi will ever participate in the Olympics again.
The NHL is concerned that the extended break the league takes during the Olympics hurts business, especially when the Games are geographically removed from the region.
Players seem to be in favor of keeping the Olympics, with Patrick Kane, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jonas Gustavsson coming to the Games defense in this Associated Press story.
The Wild send five skaters to the Olympics this time around: Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund of Finland, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter representing the U.S., and Nino Neiderreiter skating for Switzerland.
Since the NHL and NHLPA struck a deal with the Internatonal Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation to allow players to participate in the games in 1995, the Czech Republic, Canada (twice), and Sweden have won gold medals, while the U.S. has won silver twice.
