It was only a matter of time before the NHL formalized its withdrawal for the next Olympic Games on the Chinese side (February 4-20, 2022). It went from unofficial to official as the National Hockey League filed a press release stating that the period from February 6 to 22 (the Olympic break) will be used to resume the games handed over.
The NHL's discourse on this logical decision, given the current «pandemic» circumstances, is as follows:
The NHL admires and respects the desire of players to represent their country and participate in a tournament that brings together the best of the best. We waited as long as we could to make that decision, while looking at the various options available for them to participate. Unfortunately, given the significant break in our regular season schedule, with COVID-19 events leading to the postponement of 50 games before December 23, participation in the Olympics is no longer possible.
Our goal has always been and remains to deliver the entire campaign and playoffs in an acceptable timeframe. As a result, with rigorous health protocols still in place, we will begin using the dates between February 6 and 22 to reschedule games that have been postponed,» said Gary Bettman.
So, there will be no NHL players for a second consecutive time at the Olympics since they were not present in Pyeongchang in 2018. It is sad, but this time it was the reality of this «new» life that prompted the league to make such a decision.
