Oh, shut up Mick. 

It’s stuff like this that makes be regret the day the USA ever decided to send professional athletes to the Olympic games.  What a pain in the ass.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 08/19/09 at 12:53 PM ET

Okay, shutting up.  Thanks for the insightful commentary.

Posted by Mick from Toronto on 08/19/09 at 01:40 PM ET

Don’t listen to ‘em Mick. I thought it was a great piece.

Posted by Patrick Hoffman from Stamford, CT on 08/19/09 at 01:44 PM ET

The quote here is pretty good.

The rest of the article didn’t have much to do with the quote. It wasn’t bad… but it wasn’t really thorough either. If you’re going to delve into the politics behind the Olympics, at least give it more than a half-hearted paragraph surrounded by wisecracks about hockey being labeled a summer sport.

Professional sports as a whole are all about making money. Give me some reasons beyond “fans are left footing the bill” if you’re going to argue against the Olympics in Vancouver. Because fans foot the bill of having an NHL team in any city, too.

Posted by nebcanuck from Peterborough, Ontario on 08/19/09 at 03:08 PM ET

Ha.

You want insightful?

Explain to me exactly how much of a ‘centerpiece’ to a two week sporting orgy it is when it happens at 3 in the morning, and if it’s broadcast over the air in the USA at all, is done so tape-delayed in a world where it will be impossible for anyone who even remotely cares about it to not see the results three hours before they could see the game?

Or, even better, why exactly it’s such a grand centerpiece when participation in it clearly and irrefutably significantly impacts the progression of the NHL season?

Do you know what the grand centerpiece of hockey in North America actually is?  Why, it’s the actual leagues and championships of those leagues, that’s what.

Hockey in the Summer Olympics is a stupid idea, as most of Burke’s are.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 08/19/09 at 03:17 PM ET

HockeyinHD, I agree with those comments.  That should have been obvious in my posting, but I guess it wasn’t.  I’m not convinced that the benefits of the NHL participating in the Winter Olympics outweight the drawbacks.  And I very much agree with not moving hockey to the Summer Games.

Posted by Mick from Toronto on 08/19/09 at 04:47 PM ET

Mick, I like your comment at the end about the All-Star Game.  I think one week off to play a game that not many get to play in is useless.  Two weeks to play in a multi-game tournament where players play for national pride is, I think, a much more worthwhile thing to do.  Plus, a lot more players get to participate in the Olympics than the All-Star game if they so choose.

Maybe having the Juniors play every four years AT the Olympics would work but the Junior’s Tournament is also a prospect tourney.  For me, the reason I watch Olympic hockey is because professional athletes are playing.  I do watch the Junior’s too but like I said before; one week or two weeks.  Not a huge deal.  I’m definitely not crying over the All-Star game.

But you’re absolutely right.  Moving hockey to summer would be idiotic, no matter who’s playing.  One more terrible idea to add to Burke’s box of bonehead braincramps.

Posted by Matt Fry from Winnipeg on 08/20/09 at 12:39 AM ET

Like most of his mental and verbal diarrhea (one minute penalties, anyone?), I didn’t take Burke’s comment on moving hockey to the Summer Olympics seriously. I thought it was just more blustery, sarcastic rambling from the master of blustery, sarcastic rambling.

That being said, didn’t Paul Kelly once propose an annual mid-season break that would accommodate the Olympics, the All-Star Game and possibly the World Cup on a rotating basis? Personally, I would not have a problem with that.

IMO, Burke’s argument that other sports don’t have a break is totally irrelevant. We’ve seen plenty of evidence over the years that hockey is definitely different from other major sports. Sometimes in ways that are perceived as negative (e.g., regional pockets of interest, no “real” national broadcast TV contract), but often in other ways that are positive as well (e.g., the one-of-a-kind awesomeness of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, relatively good player behavior, lack of a major PED scandal). More importantly, NHL hockey is arguably the most demanding sport in terms of length of season, number of games played per week, and the physical toll exacted upon the players.

A short break in the middle of each season could help “recharge the batteries” for the second half of the season and playoff run. Obviously, this would not be the case for those participating in the Olympics, All-Star festivities, etc. However, if the NHLPA membership agrees to such a plan—and participation is not made mandatory—I think it could work. Unless they’re injured, players typically want to play for their country. And in the case of the All-Star Game, if there were short “R-n-R” periods before and after the event, you might not have as many situations were players try to beg off to rest minor injuries.

To help fill the lull in All-Star years, perhaps the NHL could promote the sport at large by hosting All-Star events for top minor (AHL, OHL), college (CCHA vs. WCHA or Hockey East?) or even high school leagues at selected NHL arenas. Individual teams could also hold a “skate with the players” event, autograph day, fan fests or other team-related events. A little bit of personalized PR goes a long way. A few Red Wings stopped for about 30 minutes at my 13-year old son’s middle school on their way to training camp after winning the Cup in 2008. Even though it was Draper, Cleary, Osgood and Lebda rather than Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Zetterberg, he still brings up how cool it was on a pretty regular basis.

In answer to Burke’s (and by extension, Bettman’s) question of “What’s in it for the NHL?,” I’d say:

—Increased good will with the NHLPA and its individual members
—The potential to sustain the health and ability to play at high levels for the majority of said players
—Promotion of both the NHL and hockey at large
—Positive public relations on a number of levels
—Helping to build the current fan base and future generations of hockey fans

Call me crazy, but I’d say it’s worth it.

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 08/20/09 at 12:01 PM ET

Gentlemen, good comments all around, the last two posts in particular.

And who said hockey fans don’t know what they’re talking about?

Oh yeah, most of the guys in the press box.

Posted by Mick from Toronto on 08/20/09 at 01:39 PM ET