Harsh realities surround Olympic dreams for NHL players
The scores of NHL players with designs on heading to Beijing in February to play in the Olympics have been getting a clearer sense of the protracted, miserable ride that could await them, particularly if the searing flame of COVID-19 keeps burning these next eight to 10 weeks.
On the surface, sure, who wouldn’t want to play in the Olympics?
“As athletes, you want to face the best,” said Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, who recently moved to the sidelines, pinched by the NHL’S COVID-19 protocols.
As the weekend approached, all the concerned parties, particularly the Players Association, continued to hammer through some of the significant concerns. Chief among them: What happens in the unfortunate circumstance that an NHLER tests Covid-positive?
Popping positive would mean pulling out of the tournament on the other side of the world. Bad enough. Heartbreaking.
Potentially far worse, though, would be the prospect of having to remain in China, isolated, for days, if not weeks, after the Games are wrapped and fellow Nhlers have returned to their teams.
What would be the level of medical care available for an athlete left behind, one who could be exhibiting severe symptoms? Also, what of his NHL paycheck for the games he would be forced to miss, not only while still quarantined in China, but after he returns, with time needed to ramp up strength and conditioning?
The NHLPA, NHL, IOC and a variety of Chinese officials will continue to chew on that through the holidays.
Asked about some of the myriad issues last week, Oilers star forward Connor Mcdavid acknowledged he found some of it to be “unsettling.”
“I would assume every athlete’s in that boat,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy acknowledged Friday. “Whether you are a skier or a hockey player — you know, quarantining in a foreign country for X amount of time, with a foreign government controlling when you could leave, would [give] any player, athlete, or support staff legitimate concerns. I hope they get squared away in the near future. I think everybody wants to participate, if they can go in a healthy environment.”
Of course, the NHL could take it out of the players’ hands. All of the COVID19 disruptions may lead to NHL players staying home instead of participating in the Winter Games. The league has said players can compete in Beijing unless the coronavirus becomes a problem.
The league has until Jan. 10 to opt out of the Winter Games without financial penalty, but it retains the right to cancel its plans up until players are scheduled to travel to Beijing.
The NHL and NHLPA said it will announce a final decision in the coming days.
Stay tuned.