IIHF President Rene Fasel on Thursday "placed the emphasis on NHL players to persuade the league to compete" at the '22 Beijing Games, while NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr "responded by saying it's a little more complicated than that," according to John Wawrow of the AP. Fehr believes it is in the league's "best interest to compete at the 2022 Olympics." But he said that he is "not ready to commit to re-opening bargaining talks next year in a bid to have that happen." Fehr also "put the onus back on Fasel by noting the IIHF will have to budge on its position of refusing to pay for transportation and players' insurance costs" (AP, 1/4). Asked if it was realistic to reach a deal, Fasel said, "I have to. I have no choice. I have to for the hockey fans, for our game." ESPN.com noted the NHL "sought licensing agreements" with the IOC to "market its players competing at the Games." The league also "wanted either the IOC or IIHF to pay for transportation costs, which Fasel said would amount to $15 million." Fasel said that the transportation costs are a "non-starter, because the IIHF can't afford it." NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, attending the IIHF World Juniors last week in Buffalo, said that it was "premature to discuss the league's plans to compete" at the '22 Games. Daly said that talks "won't begin" until the Pyeongchang Games are over (ESPN.com, 1/4).
ALL-STAR BOYCOTT POSSIBLE? YAHOO SPORTS' Ryan Lambert addressed the possibility of some star players "shockingly and mysteriously" coming up with "little knee and back injuries, or maybe the flu" to skip the NHL All-Star Game in Tampa over the decision not to compete in Pyeongchang. Lambert: "If I’m Sid Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and a few other guys in their late 20s and early 30s -- for whom this is likely the last Olympics for which they will legitimately be considered -- there is literally no way I show up for this" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/3).
