By Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
NEWARK -- The NHL decided on Monday against sending any players to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The combination of negotiations between the NHL, the NHL Players' Association and the International Olympic Committee led nowhere, and now for the first time since 1994, it appears NHL players will not participate in the Games. Here is reaction from Devils players and coaches about the decision, with some for and against the holdout.
Missed oppotunity
Two Devils — forward Kyle Palmieri and goalie Cory Schneider — played for Team USA during the 2016 World Cup. But neither has made an Olympic team, and both would have had an opportunity to make a run for a spot in the 2018 Games. Neither thought too far ahead, but they understand those type of international opportunities are limited and precious.
“There’s no guarantee you’re ever going to make the team,'" Schneider said. "I like to think I’d be in the conversation or maybe on a short list, but you still have to go out there and make the team if they were to have the Olympics. But yeah it’s probably going to be my last best shot, even if they go in 2022. I’ll be 36 by then so I don’t know how realistic that would be, but again you never know. Haven’t tried to think about it too much because it’s a lot of what ifs.”
Elsa | Getty Images
"I don’t know about mad. Disappointed, obviously, that you put yourself into a position to have a chance to maybe make that team, call yourself an Olympian," Palmieri said. "It’s something you grow up dreaming about. It’s tough to get mad. You can’t be mad at a certain person. Just to be mad at a decision (for the sake) of being mad isn’t something you have to do, either. It’s a waste of energy at that point. For me, you dream about being an Olympian and competing for a gold medal."
Next step for Hynes
Devils coach John Hynes has coached in different levels of USA hockey throughout his coaching career, and a chance with the Olympic team would have been the next logical step. Hynes, who served as a World Cup assistant coach in 2016 with Team USA, understood the decision made by the NHL, but he said there is nothing in the world like Olympic hockey.
Jerome Miron | USA TODAY Sports
"It’s a league decision, and when you look at some of the reasons, business-wise, that’s what the league decided to do," Hynes said. "I know from an experience standpoint, it’s disappointing, because I think when you have the NHL players in the Olympics, it is best on best, and it is exciting hockey to watch. Whenever you have the opportunity to represent your country, it is really special for players and coaches and all involved. So from that standpoint it is disappointing you won’t have the NHL flavor in the Olympics.”
Argument against going
While many players have voiced their opinions agaisnt the decision to prevent NHL players from going to the Olympics, Devils defenseman Ben Lovejoy offered a perspective from the other side. Lovejoy, like many other NHL players, won't be one of smaller percentage making an Olympic team, and he said adding a long break and condensing the schedule again can only hurt the NHL.
Tougher on players that do go
While Lovejoy gave the perspective of a player not attending the games either way, he said things can be even tougher on the players would go play in South Korea. Those Olympians would already be playing a condensed NHL schedule before adding three weeks of games and practices on top of it.
Ed Mulholland | USA TODAY Sports
“Hockey is a very hard game and we have learned to play and adapt to 82 games and to play even more playoff games," Lovejoy said. "I think the more you add to it and the less rest you give us, it makes it so much harder on us. I’m disappointed because I think it’s a great opportunity, it’s so fun to watch, especially when I was a little kid. I was so into it. But now that I’m in this position, I’m ok with having a game every third day instead of 3-in-4s and back-to-backs. And I will be ok with a regular, old NHL schedule next year.”
No surprise at the decision
Schneider remained hopeful some agreement would be made to send NHL players to the Olympics for the sixth straight time, but he said based on the language of the negotiations, it was tough to be surprised by the outcome.
Julio Cortez | AP Photo
“All signs the whole time from what the league has said was pointing to this result, so I’m sure it’s surprising the fact that everyone thought it was going to get done, but it shouldn’t be surprising if you look at the language and everything that was said along the way," Schneider said. "It’s tough, it’s unfortunate for I think the fans and players who wanted to go. But the league has a right to not send their best assets and their business basically to someone else and loan them for three weeks.”
Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.
Ad Choices