Olympic HockeyOlympic Hockey Forum. Discuss the sport of Ice Hockey from the Olympic Games. Cheer for your country, and analyze the international style of play.
I say that the NHL should forget about the Olympics. It's meant to determine the world's best amateur athletes. If I were Bettman, I'd concentrate on the World Cup. I'd also be way less cool, but that's beside the point. I'd have the World Cup every year so that it didn't interfere with the Olympics. Give the local senior players a chance.
I have long felt that the Olympics need to return to the amateurs. I mean without that Olympic experience there are a few players that might not have made it to the NHL like Joe Juneau, Ken Morrow or Sean Burke.
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I have long felt that the Olympics need to return to the amateurs. I mean without that Olympic experience there are a few players that might not have made it to the NHL like Joe Juneau, Ken Morrow or Sean Burke.
Rids, the problem was countries like the USSR, who had the "Red Army Team", guys who were paid to be in the Soviet Army but played or trained for hockey year round and probably didn't know how to fire a rifle. The powers that be in the Olympic movement realized how it was unfair for amateurs like college students and career minor leaguers fron the US, Canada etc to play those guys.
Basketball was another example. The US sent college players like Doug Collins or Michael Jordan to play against pro players from other countries. You were only a pro if you signed an NBA contract. Mike Sylvester, a University of Dayton basketball player and graduate, had a grandfather who never gave up his Italian citizenship. Mike played in the Italian pro basketball league for $80K or $100K per year (this was about 30 years ago, so multiply by 4 or 5 for todays dollars). He was given dual citizenship and played for Italy in the Olympics a few times, against people who weren't allowed to take a dime for playing. So how was that fair? At least now, the four NBA players playing for Spain in the Beijing Olympics are known pros, rather than pros pretending to be amateurs like Mike Sylvester and probably dozens of other basketball or hockey players from the past.
My point is that many of the "amateurs" from 1980 or so weren't really amateurs either, you just think they were because you didn't know that they were getting paid.
Rids, the problem was countries like the USSR, who had the "Red Army Team", guys who were paid to be in the Soviet Army but played or trained for hockey year round and probably didn't know how to fire a rifle. The powers that be in the Olympic movement realized how it was unfair for amateurs like college students and career minor leaguers fron the US, Canada etc to play those guys.
Basketball was another example. The US sent college players like Doug Collins or Michael Jordan to play against pro players from other countries. You were only a pro if you signed an NBA contract. Mike Sylvester, a University of Dayton basketball player and graduate, had a grandfather who never gave up his Italian citizenship. Mike played in the Italian pro basketball league for $80K or $100K per year (this was about 30 years ago, so multiply by 4 or 5 for todays dollars). He was given dual citizenship and played for Italy in the Olympics a few times, against people who weren't allowed to take a dime for playing. So how was that fair? At least now, the four NBA players playing for Spain in the Beijing Olympics are known pros, rather than pros pretending to be amateurs like Mike Sylvester and probably dozens of other basketball or hockey players from the past.
My point is that many of the "amateurs" from 1980 or so weren't really amateurs either, you just think they were because you didn't know that they were getting paid.
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Daryl
Last edited by Daryl Shilling : 11-17-2008 at 08:03 AM.
A source told The Canadian Press that the NHLPA sent a memo to its members recommending they skip the on-ice portion of Olympic orientation camps because of insurance concerns, as NHL teams aren’t responsible for insuring their players at Olympic events.
The memo reportedly tells players that skating at an Olympic camp this summer would be an “unwarranted and unnecessary risk.”
The source said a second memo was sent to Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and the Russian and German federations to alert them of the concern, and to reduce any injury risks for players who decide to participate in on-ice drills.
The NHLPA doesn’t think these federations provide enough insurance to cover players’ big-league contracts and potential future earning power if an injury should occur.
Joe Thornton seems not to agree with the NHLPA's "policy" on the Olympics training.
Quote:
"I've played hockey all my life," he said. "It's not going to be a real tough and grueling camp, I don't think. It's just more to get kind of used to each other. I think I can skate no problem."
I have long felt that the Olympics need to return to the amateurs. I mean without that Olympic experience there are a few players that might not have made it to the NHL like Joe Juneau, Ken Morrow or Sean Burke.
I agree.
No one who has signed a profesional level contract in any country should be allowed to play.
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You ask Ovechkin if he would trade his Art Ross and Richard Trophies, to trade places with Sidney Crosby last June.
NHLers in the Olympics
NHLers in the Olympics
I'd have the World Cup every year so that it didn't interfere with the Olympics. Give the local senior players a chance.
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