The NHLPA during a meeting last week with the IOC and the IIHF indicated it is "willing to address the concessions and some of the league's biggest concerns" about participation in the '22 Beijing Games, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. That includes insurance, travel costs and marketing rights, such as the "ability to use the Olympic video and the players themselves on the league's and the players' own platforms." That is a "big development and a big policy change that did catch some people by surprise." The NHL after the meeting made clear it "did want to tie Olympic participation to a new CBA." However, the players feel that this "addresses everything that's been a concern." Despite the issues that still remain, this is a "huge step from the governing bodies to get the players to go." Sportsnet's Chris Johnston noted there is a "path now" to a CBA. The NHL and the NHLPA meet tomorrow for the first time since both sides decided not to opt out of the current CBA that goes through the '21-22 season, but they had "a lot of meetings throughout the summer, and there was a feeling that there was some progress made there." One item that "remained outstanding was the international calendar and the Olympics participation." With the developments of the past week, the question now is where the CBA talks "go and if there's a chance for those to pick up speed and maybe get an extension to be done" ("HNIC", Sportsnet, 2/8).
FEELING GOOD, BUT ISSUES REMAIN: NHLPA Special Assistant to the Exec Dir Mathieu Schneider said the union was "happy with the meeting, there’s no question about it." He said, "It was a really positive meeting. It was a really good gesture on the IOC’s part.’’ Schneider also credited IIHF President Rene Fasel for his "work behind the scenes to get the IOC to make some key concessions." Meanwhile, the NHL was a "little more constrained in its reaction to last Tuesday’s meeting." NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said of potential league participation in Beijing, "I would say we have a long way to go. I wouldn’t get overly excited.’’ THE ATHLETIC's Pierre LeBrun reports some believe the NHL "will want some form of giveback in CBA extension talks to sign off on Beijing player participation." However, the union "doesn’t get why the players should have to give anything back in exchange for doing what’s right for the sport, for taking part in such an obvious opportunity on such a huge stage in China" (THEATHLETIC.com, 2/10).
