Yahoo Sports 
NHL offers Olympic participation to NHLPA for CBA extension: Report
The NHL has reportedly indicated it could allow its players to participate in the 2018 Olympic Games if the NHLPA approves an extension of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman initially reported the news and said the extension could last for three years, though he didn’t have the specific number. The International Ice Hockey Federation reportedly met with the NHL, NHLPA, USA Hockey and Hockey Canada in New York on Wednesday to go over Olympic participation.
The current CBA, which was negotiated during a lockout that wiped out almost half the 2012-13 season, expires on Sept. 15, 2022. Both the NHL and NHLPA have the option to opt out of the current deal in 2020. If the league decides to do this, it needs to notify the NHLPA by Sept. 1, 2019. If the Players’ Association wants to opt out, it must tell the league by Sept. 19, 2019.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now]
Friedman wondered if the players would seriously consider such an offer. Current players dislike the escrow system as part of the current CBA, but lockouts also hurt their bottom lines and extending the CBA could ease the stress of another looming work stoppage.
It’s an interesting proposal. Here’s what the players will weigh: If they were to accept, they will lock-in for a longer period of high escrow, their biggest issue with the current CBA. They gain labour peace (which fans would love) and the right to go to the Olympics, which they will love. Now: do they believe NHL participation in the Games will happen anyway? If they think yes, they are giving up something for nothing. If they think the NHL is serious about saying no, then they have something to gain. That’s the poker game they are playing.
The NHL has been lukewarm on Olympic participation at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea in part because of the IOC’s decision to not pay players’ insurance or transportation along with game visibility because of the timezone. The league has reportedly been more interested in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing because of China’s large population and vast economy.
On Monday, Sportsnet reported that the IIHF would come up with the money for insurance and transportation so NHL players could play in the Games. On Wednesday, IIHF president Rene Fasel said he has “more work to do” and that he was surprised considering that he had secured funding for players.
In the past, the league has said it doesn’t believe prior Olympic experiences have provided a major financial gain to offset the NHL shutting down for two weeks.
“Olympic participation hasn’t done a lot for the National Hockey League, and for the clubs. It’s obviously a big global stage, and probably the top global stage. But it hasn’t translated to our business,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said last September.
NHL players have often bullish on Olympic participation. Most notably, Washington Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin has said he will go to the 2018 Games even if the NHL decides it won’t stop play to allow players to participate. Other players have voiced their desire to partake in future Games.
“The Olympics I think is a huge stage for our sport and I think the best players should be there,” Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said before the World Cup of Hockey last September. “That’s my opinion. I think that’s the same opinion that I share with a lot of other players. There’s definitely some element there that’s special, that I think transcends our sport, and can draw more and more fans from around the world. Again, there’s difficulties of each event that you can look at. You can go down the list of things that make it difficult for NHL clubs to let their players go to play at each event. At the end of the day, I think it’s just the pride the players show, that wanting to play for their country is important.”
NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr indicated to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston that he needs to speak with his players about their options moving forward before making a definitive comment.
“There have been some suggestions that could be construed that that discussion would be worth having,” Fehr said. “Obviously we discuss that with players. We have begun that process but we’re a long way from done.”
Commissioner Gary Bettman has said he hopes a decision on 2018 Olympic participation won’t drag past January.
– – – – – – –
Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
MORE FROM YAHOO SPORTS