No NHL at Olympics?

GANGNEUNG: The absence of NHL players at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics was disappointing but “you don’t need caviar every day,” the International Ice Hockey Federation president said yesterday. Rene Fasel spoke on the eve of the men’s final between Germany, never better than bronze in Olympic history, and the Olympic Athletes from Russia.

“Not having the NHL is still a disappointment, but in Germany nobody cares if the NHL is here or not,” Fasel said. “Everybody can beat everybody in this competition.” National Hockey League (NHL) officials decided not to shut down the season over money and injury issues, making these the first Games without the superstar players since 1994. A German-league all-star lineup stunned two-time defending champion Canada 4-3 in a semi-final Friday that excited as much as any NHL game.

“You don’t need caviar every day,” Fasel said. “I have to be honest, I miss the NHL here. But what can we do? We have to do our best to promote the game and Germany-Canada was all about emotions.” Even German coach Marco Sturm would like to see the NHL’s top players competing for Olympic gold once more. “Everyone, the best players, should be in the Olympics,” Sturm said. “All the NHL guys should be in the Olympics. That’s just what the event is for and hopefully in the future they will be back on Olympic ice.”

Fasel wants them back as well, but Olympic desires for more NHL spending on insurance and travel might have the league thinking twice about the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics-as much as the league wants to break into the China market. “Going to Beijing in 2022 will be another opportunity to promote the game in Asia,” Fasel said. “We will then see about the possible participation of the NHL or not. “I really hope in 2019, 2020, we can have some discussion and they can make a decision.”

Fasel addressed the empty seats at games even though 80 percent of hockey tickets were sold. “This is a nonhockey country and I think the price was relatively expensive,” he said. “In Sochi, we had a plan to fill the empty seats. They didn’t have this concept here. “Not having the NHL? Maybe.” Fasel also addressed Canadian complaints about having the women’s gold medal game decided on a shootout. — AFP