NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and reps from the NHLPA will meet with IIHF President Rene Fasel tomorrow about NHL participation in the '18 PyeongChang Games, but it "sounds as if there has been no progress," according to David Shoalts of the GLOBE & MAIL. The IIHF is "handling the negotiations with the IOC, which has paid the NHL players’ costs ever since the league first agreed to free them up to compete" in the '98 Nagano Games. Bettman: "We’re now being told the IOC refuses to pay for it despite making sure it was paid for (in) the last five Olympics. Ultimately, it’s a decision for the owners to make. I know there is some grumpiness." NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr "did not seem as gloomy." He said, "I’ve given up being optimistic or pessimistic because I’m right about half the time. It just has to play itself out." Shoalts notes it is "possible the IIHF could agree to pay at least some of the costs, but Bettman does not think it is a good idea because it may mean more modest accommodations." Bettman: "The most likely thing is the IIHF will come in and say we’re doing this on a pared-down basis. Even conceptually, if you’re worried about developing hockey worldwide at the grassroots level, why are they taking money away from that to fund NHL player participation at the Olympics?" Meanwhile, Bettman was also "testy when the topic of the NHL expanding to Seattle came up." He said, "We’re not paying a lot of attention to Seattle. If they ever put a shovel in the ground and actually build a building instead if just talking about one, we might -- might -- pay attention. But it’s not something we’re monitoring" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/15).
MATTER OF PRINCIPLE: Fasel last night said that the IIHF will "come up with the money to cover insurance and transportation costs" if NHL players go to the '18 Games. He said, "We will balance the budget. We will find the money." SPORTSNET.ca's Chris Johnston wrote eliminating the financial concerns "isn’t likely to satisfy the NHL completely." There are still "broader issues to be worked through here" (SPORTSNET.ca, 11/14). TSN.ca's Bob McKenzie wrote the NHL will view any efforts by the IIHF to cover the costs "as a horrible precedent." That is "effectively giving the IOC something for nothing -- NHL player participation without shouldering the costs involved." The NHL also "doesn't like the idea of the IIHF using its funds for something that the IOC should be responsible for, that every IIHF dollar spent on getting NHLers to the Olympics is one less dollar going to real efforts to develop the international game at the grassroots level." But the truth is the NHL is "going to be mightily predisposed to not look favorably on any IIHF concoction," unless the players "speak up forcefully" (TSN.ca, 11/14).
US AND THEM: The NATIONAL POST's Scott Stinson writes Bettman has "really managed to perfect the art of talking down to people." Bettman yesterday "explained the NHL’s position on a variety of topics, which was generally that the NHL was right and everyone else was wrong." Whatever disruption the Olympics "cause to the NHL schedule -- once every four years -- it’s hard to imagine that the game doesn’t benefit by at least an equal amount by being part of them." While Bettman "doesn't sound at all convinced about the merits of Olympic association," the Games are a "hell of a stage, and the league would be lesser by not being part of them" (NATIONAL POST, 11/15).
