The opening ceremony for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, is now just under two months away.
Yet it’s still not clear whether or not NHL players will be a part of the multi-week-long tournament, with the possibility of the league missing two straight Winter Olympics looming large. Information provided Saturday by the International Olympic Committee provided some more clarity on the situation, for better or for worse.
The key portion of all of it, summarized in this Twitter thread by TSN’s Chris Johnston, is the official word on the quarantine regulations if an athlete does test positive for COVID-19 while in China. Any positive test will yield an automatic quarantine that can last between three and five weeks. While players can test negative twice within a 24-hour span to exit protocol, similar to NHL guidelines, this is only applicable in China after the mandatory minimum 21-day quarantine.
That poses some serious issues for a variety of reasons. For one, if a player tests positive, they won’t get a chance to rejoin their team for the rest of the tournament as the quarantine period is simply too long. It’s also a giant question mark for players financially, especially if they test positive near the end of the tournament, as Johnston notes that teams aren’t required to pay players if they miss time on the other side of the Olympic break. However, a joint call between the IOC, IIHF, NHL, and NHLPA is expected soon to “review these matters,” per Johnston.
It’s a lot of food for thought for players, and the league is now making it clear that it will be entirely the players’ choice on whether they go, with deputy commissioner Bill Daly stating that “[he doesn’t] anticipate being on a different page than the players’ association on these issues.”
There are two paths in that regard. Players could just individually opt-out of playing in Beijing, something Vegas Golden Knights netminder Robin Lehner already did, justifiably citing mental health reasons. However, the possibility remains that the players could collectively elect to not attend the Olympics, marking the second straight Winter Games without an NHL presence.
While it was previously believed that the NHL had a strict deadline of January 10, 2022, to decide on their Olympic participation, it’s now clear, per Johnston, that it’s only a soft deadline. The NHL can opt-out after that point, but will incur financial penalties if they do so.
What could go wrong having to quarantine in China for weeks after your team has left to go back to North America? Especially if you are one of the guys who scores a hat trick in your team’s 15-0 smashing of Team China in group play. I’m sure China will put you up at the Ritz Carlton for your quarantine period.
Yep. What, exactly, has anyone seen from China in recent years to suggest that they give a tinker’s damn for the opinions of foreigners?
I can’t think of one NHL player who would want to stay in China for 3-5 weeks longer.
Has anyone check on Lehner? Is he ok? He doesn’t want to go to China? So he’s ok to play now in the NHL but doesn’t want to go to China. That’s a choice. Not a mental break.
I’m concerned of his mental state now predicting his mental state in the future. Not good.
I think it’s exactly what you cited in your first sentence: he doesn’t want to tempt the possibility of being in isolation within an unfamiliar country for 3-5 weeks.
I can’t think of many people who wouldn’t want to avoid that situation.
@dave – I sense a clear lack of understanding of patriotism and the ego to win a gold medal.
At both replies-
Wouldn’t it be something if the NHL put together a quick mini tournament? Like a Canada Cup?
This is a fantastic opportunity for this.
A Canada Cup is NOT an Olympic Medal,not even close. Medals, trophies a big draw for major players. What do we hear all of the time “I want a Stanley”. Ego is ignored by a Canada Cup. It ain’t the Olympics. Watch em forgo the small amount of money lost for quarantine. What is a few hundred-K when you make millions.
Not even one single good reason to play.
But not having a backup schedule to move April games into the 3 week void is bad planning.
It’s hard to fathom that this is even a close decision to make. Just say NO already!
But if they do ultimately decide not to go, does some group of former NHL players or amateurs go instead? For their sakes I hope not. Those China vs North Korea games should be a hoot though. :D
What if all the group A teams come down with covid….does China win gold by default? (Not a bad strategy)
Just shows us how screwed up this country really is that they are even THINKING of going to the country that gave us COVID in the first place. The whole world should be boycotting everything Chinese until they take responsibility and make at least some monetary reparations. Never can replace all the lives that were lost though. Shame on us for even considering going. Sad.
Something definitely smells fishy about all of this. I think the NHLPA should back out. I just have a feeling multiple players from prominent countries are going to coincidentally test positive. China may not win gold but if they win ANY medal it won’t be because of hardwork and reviewing game film. Just say no. It’ll only screw up the second half of the season.
Let’s say hypothetically that players on the US and Canadian rosters “test positive” after the China/Canada game on 2/13. 3-to-5 weeks could mean missing up to 14 NHL games. That’s also early in the tournament. God forbid a team get to the qualifying round or further.