Comments on: Olympics Vs NHL

By: Foppa12

Foppa12 — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 19:02:45 +0000

Yeah why risk injury. You know what. Let's not even use these valuable NHL'ers in the NHL season. The risk of injury is just to great.

NHL players are the best in the world. To attract new fans you have to use the best players. To attract new NHL fans we need the best on the world stage...playing in the Olympics.

If I was a player, and it came down to it, I'd sit out a NHL season before missing the Olympics.

By: mtrakker85

mtrakker85 — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 15:05:04 +0000

Forsberg needs to sit the olympics out and rest his groin that he has missed time for 3 times already this year.

I like how Kiprussoff is taking the olmypics off to rest his hip I believe. Naslund isn't playing because of an injury as well.

I just think it's stupid to shut down the NHl for 2 weeks or however long it is so players can go out and risk injuring themsevles away from the team and becoming totally useless down the stretch. Now players could get hurt playing in the NHL, but for some reason, the impact isn't the same as if they get hurt in something like the olpympics or an all-star game.

By: habfan1160

habfan1160 — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 12:23:31 +0000

I guess in today's society there is no more loyalty to one's country. The loyalty lies to the almighty dollar. If I were an NHL player and got asked to play for Canada, I would play for the team no questions asked.

For me, I would make the Olympcis exclusive to players 23 years and younger. That way, the NHL season could still continue while still having representation in the Olympics.

By: triple_deke

triple_deke — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 11:58:52 +0000

How many people WOULD ACTUALLY WATCH if it was all players that didn't make it to the NHL? I never watch the Spengler cup... it's just so much slower...

In my opinion, if professional athletes were excluded, then they would have to be across the board... that doesn't include sponsored athletes... all ski racers, for instance, are sponsored, but it doesn't make them 'professional athletes'...

And to avoid the olympic medals in hockey from becoming an insignificant event, what about bringing the world juniors to the olympics?? They're amateurs... most don't have huge egos...

By: jarcpitre

jarcpitre — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 08:43:06 +0000

I don’t think there should be NHL players playing, unless they are with the farm team. It would be a great opportunity for scouts to look at their farm team prospects and juniors before the playoff race starts.

By: navajo

navajo — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 22:20:35 +0000

As a Leaf fan, I like Mccabe for his scoring…nobody can deny he’s tearing it up this year. But he is SHIT when it comes to D…and I MEAN SHIT!!!!!!!!!!

By: navajo

navajo — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 22:19:18 +0000

I heard Chelios too. Oh well, still a funny ass story

By: Gretzkin

Gretzkin — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 21:50:39 +0000

No, it was Guerin.

I used to work at Rexall Place from time to time.

Guerin was an Oiler at the time and word traveled quick.

Maybe Chelios was his roomate, but it was definitely Guerin.

By: Gretzkin

Gretzkin — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 18:31:39 +0000

I think Gretzky put McCabe on the Taxi squad to silence the media, but had no intentions of using him.

Even in the Neidermeyer talks, he was still 4th on the list, even though he was on the Taxi squad.

Now with Jovo out, his chances improve, but yeah, hopefully he does more damage to his groin and doesn't make the trip.

By: Foppa12

Foppa12 — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 18:26:32 +0000

I think it is important for the NHLers to participate in the Olympics. I compare it to world football. Those players are honored to represent their country in such tournaments. Imagine the World Cup with ametures. There are several leagues that are in session during that tournament as well.

The NHLers should be honored to be selected for the Olympics. Most indeed are honored.

It is very important to note here the Olympics are a tournament watched world wide. It is also watched in North America by people who are not normally hockey fans. Because of that it is even more important to showcase the best players hockey has. Most of the best hockey players happen to be NHLers. So they should be selected. Those players do still have the option to turn down selections (2002 Patrick Roy). You'll notice few do turn them down. They want this honor.

Case in point. I was only a marginal football fan until the 2002 World Cup. Due to the high caliber player I saw, due to the incredible competition I witnessed, and due to a great performance by the US national side I am a huge football fan now. I don't miss a Colorado Rapids game, my hometown team. I watch many of the EPL games on Fox Soccer Channel. I watch the French league, Italian league and stay current with my family's home team in Sweden. For football, I am the fan they want to attract by showcasing their best athletes every World Cup. I have a friend from England who watched the 2002 Olympics with me (on the premise I would watch the World Cup with him). He in turn became a huge hockey fan. He absolutly loves the Rangers now.

That is the importance of showcasing the best athletes. You will gain more world exposure and more exposure in your league's home country. And if we continue to think, as hockey fans, that we don't need the "Joe America" as a fan, then I guess we're satisfied with having a league that is second rate compared to the NFiLlegitimate, MLB, and NBA. Me, I know hockey is the best sport played by the purest athletes, who are the best character people in sports. Honor and integrity is a huge part of a hockey player's makeup. But in order to know that, in order to identify with the NHL athlete, you must first be prompted to watch. The Olympics plays a huge role in that.

Another important point is that the ametures already have several tournaments they can participate in. The U-19, U21's, the World Juniors, etc. Let them have their tournaments and let the professionals have theirs.