Gary Bettman makes it clear 2018 Olympics off the table for NHL
PITTSBURGH — The NHL announced Monday that its All-Star weekend will be in Tampa on Jan. 27-28, 2018, making it clear that NHL officials are not going to change their mind about not sending NHL players to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said reports that the NHL might reconsider are untrue. The NHL hasn't played an All-Star Game in the last four Olympic years.
“Six weeks ago we were very clear and definite that we had no interest,” Bettman said in his state of the union message before the Stanley Cup Final.
“We are not anti-Olympics. We are anti-disruption of the season,” Bettman said.
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With regard to Washington winger Alex Ovechkin’s threat to leave the Capitals and play in the Olympics regardless of the league’s position, Bettman declined to say what the NHL would do if that occurs.
“No reason to pick that fight right now,” Bettman said, noting that the NHL has a blanket expectation that no players will be allowed to compete.
The NHL is planning to play two exhibition games in China this fall, and Bettman said the league has had discussions with Chinese officials about helping them with their objective to increase the country’s participation in winter sports. In return, the Chinese would help the NHL grow its business in China. Bettman said the NHL’s participation at the 2022 Olympics in China was never brought up in the meeting.
“It’s something we don’t have to address now, so we won’t,” Bettman said.
In other news, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the projection for next year’s salary cap is $73 million, with room to grow a small amount if no 5% inflator is applied. If the NHL Players Association and the league agree on using an inflator, the salary cap would grow to more than $77 million.
Because NHL players are weary of having a significant percentage of their salary — 15.5% in 2016-17 — held in escrow to insure that there is a true 50-50 split of league revenues, the NHL is open to no salary cap growth to keep the escrow as low as possible.
Daly said the NHL and the NHL Players Association will meet next week to start discussions about what the Players Association wants to do. It’s not a black-and-white decision for the NHLPA officials because stars generally want the cap to be as high as possible.
