It appears that few if any NHL players will take part in next year’s Winter Olympics in South Korea.
No official announcement was made, but Commissioner Gary Bettman essentially sealed the deal Wednesday when, speaking to reporters at the general managers’ meetings in Florida, he said there was “absolutely nothing new” to say about negotiations. While players are in favor of being included in the Olympics, the league has been forced to choose between the added international exposure, including a chance to reach a new audience, and shutting down the regular season for almost three weeks.