IIHF boss renews Winter Games pitch to NHL
Fasel calls on players to strongly put across their interest in participation to league bosses
International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene’ Fasel placed the emphasis on NHL players to persuade the league to compete at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.
NHL Players’ Association chief Don Fehr responded by saying it’s a little more complicated than that.
Though Fehr believes it’s in the league’s best interest to compete at the 2022 Olympics, he said on Thursday that he’s not ready to commit to reopening bargaining talks next year in a bid to have that happen.
“I would like to believe that, by the time we get there, that the owners would have a much greater interest and understanding of the potential value that it could have,” Fehr said, referring to the 2022 Games. “Whether those discussions take place in collective bargaining or take place separately in discussing the international agenda or some combination of that, I think it’s too soon to say.”
Fehr also put the onus back on Fasel by noting that the IIHF will have to budge on its position of refusing to pay for transportation and players’ insurance costs for 2022. The NHL elected against having its players participate at the Winter Games in South Korea next month, and has yet to commit to whether it will participate in 2022.
Fasel said he intended to do everything in his power to convince the NHL to return to the Olympics. He then referenced the NHLPA by noting it can apply pressure on the league in contract talks. The NHL’s current labour deal runs through the 2021-22 season, but includes a window to be renegotiated in September 2020.
“The solution is in the hands of the players,” Fasel said. “Because without the players what can we do? If they want to come to the Games, they have to say so.”
The NHL backed out of participating in South Korea because of a variety of concerns. One was the 14-hour time difference between Pyeongchang and North America’s Eastern time zone.