The NHL Players’ Association is expected to turn down an informal NHL offer that would send NHL players to the 2018 Olympics in exchange for extending the collective bargaining agreement for three years, hockey insider Darren Dreger said Wednesday.
The NHLPA response to last month’s NHL proposal is expected Wednesday, Dreger said.
NHL officials have been tepid about taking its usual Olympic break for the Winter Games in South Korea, while at the same time exploring an exhibition game in China next year. Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Olympics.
“Certainly from a players’ perspective, and some very influential player agents around the National Hockey League as well, they’re perplexed, to be honest, as to why the owners aren’t buying into this idea of growing the game from a global perspective,” Dreger said.