While the Olympics are still a few months away, each participating country will have to submit their long list of eligible players on October 15th, reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link). That list could contain 50 or more players per country with some having more than others. The full squads will be announced at some point in January with the exact date to be determined. At this point, the NHL and NHLPA are discussing whether to do it all in one day or spread it out to add some more buzz. There will be an extended break in the schedule this season to accommodate both the All-Star Game and the Olympics with most teams only having a small handful of games in February as a result.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- While it will ultimately cost him some money in the end, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News argues that Sabres center Jack Eichel should ultimately go ahead with the surgery he prefers. He would be suspended, would have to pay for it out of pocket, and wouldn’t be paid while suspended but the risk is lessened since Buffalo almost certainly wouldn’t terminate his contract with how high the asking price in a trade remains. The artificial disc replacement carries a quicker recovery time and as soon as he’s able to show that he’s healthy, it might help the trade process along which is what he ultimately wants.
- Lightning center Anthony Cirelli left Thursday’s exhibition game early due to a lower-body injury and will be out at least one week, relays Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 24-year-old is coming off a quiet year offensively that saw him put up 22 points in 50 games last season.
- The Sharks are hoping that defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov will be able to start skating next week but his availability for the start of the season is in question, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (Twitter link). The 23-year-old had sports hernia surgery over the summer after playing through it last season. Knyzhov still managed to play in all 56 games in 2020-21, picking up 10 points while averaging 16:45 per contest.
Eichel, “#mybodymychoice”
It’s his life and should be his decision
Because if he does something that someone else told him to do and it does not work out
Jack is going to be pissed!!!
I know when i caved to someone else’s suggestion because they thought they knew better…. yeah….
So do what YOU think is right.
Cryptic
Not really
“Get castrated on a whim, they said. It will be fun, they said. Should have trusted the little voice in my head instead.”
Mike Harrington has a fantastic suggestion for Eichel, I wonder why he hasn’t done it?
Despite all of the rhetoric, Buffalo can’t stop him from getting the surgery he wants. Buffalo CAN stop him from getting the surgery he wants AND still collecting $50 million from them even if he never plays again.
Eichel wants to play “heads I win, tails Buffalo loses” and the Sabres are predictably not as interested in that game.
I think he really wants to play “i am not owned and this decision will only affect me for the rest of my life” i believe they call it freedom
He is owned as a result of trading his freedom for $10 million a year.
He can retire today and get any surgery he likes.
For some reason “freedom” today is too often misinterpreted to mean “I get to do whatever I want BUT I should NEVER have to accept any risk or suffer any consequences as a result.”
Hope Cirelli is “ok”. Wishing the Bolts good health this year as they go for the “3-peat”.