The NHL's participation in the Nagano Olympic Games was
examined by Helene Elliott of the L.A. TIMES. The league
will break for 17 days -- "seven more than the NHL wanted
and four fewer" than the NHLPA proposed -- leaving 1,066
games to be played over 178 days, eight fewer than last
season. While "not a huge difference," it has "created a
perception among players and coaches that the season is too
condensed. They fear fatigue, injuries and poor play will
be unhappy results of this well-intentioned venture."
Elliott: "Yet, most NHL personnel believe the benefits of
Olympic participation will justify the inconveniences,
whether real or merely perceived." NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman: "We don't see this as a risk. We believe that by
showing how hockey, on its highest level, can be played, and
doing it at an event that gets more worldwide exposure than
any other, we can only gain. This is a building block for
us. Is this a watershed event? No. We view this as another
step forward." Elliott added that the Nagano Games "will be
a rehearsal for the next Winter Games in Salt Lake City ...
[where] logistics will be more favorable for the NHL and
North American TV audiences." Bettman: "The benchmark will
be 2002, when it will be in a time zone familiar to us and
hockey will be played in prime time" (L.A. TIMES, 9/24).
