It’s no secret that the NHL and Olympics don’t mesh well. The last time an Olympic gold medal was won by a Canadian team was at the 2002 Salt Lake City games, where Canada finished fourth behind Russia, Sweden and Finland.
The “2022 winter olympics” is the timeline of why NHL players in the Olympics hasn’t gone so well.
12:00 p.m. ET
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ESPN’s Kelly Cohen
Back in 1995, the plan was to put the top hockey players in the world on the rink for the Winter Olympics.
NHL players made their debut at the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, three years later, to much hype and enthusiasm.
It hasn’t gone according to plan.
NHL players did not compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. They had only competed in four Games before to it.
Fans will now have to wait even longer. This means Team USA’s chances of capturing gold, something they haven’t done since 1980, are also in jeopardy.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent worries about the delta and omicron versions, the NHL and NHL Players’ Association decided Tuesday not to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympic men’s hockey competition in Beijing. As of Tuesday, 50 NHL games had been postponed, and more than 15% of the league’s 700-plus players were in viral protocol.
That list is still growing.
As with the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, the rosters will now be made up of a mix of amateur and professional players from leagues other than the NHL.
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Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remarked, “I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of two [Olympics].” “I have a lot of sympathy for the folks who have squandered several chances. It’s not something you put off until next year or a couple of months. As an athlete, you don’t get many of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.”
Let’s take a look back at the Olympic tournaments since NHL players have been a part of them.
Nagano, Japan, 1998
Czech Republic wins gold, Russia takes silver, and Finland takes bronze.
Despite the presence of NHL players in the Olympics for the first time, the United States did not win a medal. Even Canada, which had a star-studded lineup that included Wayne Gretzky and Patrick Roy, failed to win a medal. The Czech Republic earned its first gold medal in Olympic men’s ice hockey history with just one goal allowed in the gold-medal game, with Dominik Hasek in goal.
Salt Lake City, Utah, 2002
Canada wins gold, the United States takes silver, and Russia takes bronze.
On American territory, Canada snatched the gold medal from the United States, who were led by the renowned Herb Brooks, who also coached the Miracle on Ice team in 1980. The United States got off to a shaky start in the event, losing to Sweden in the first round.
Turin, Italy, 2006
Sweden wins gold, Finland takes silver, and the Czech Republic takes bronze.
There was a lot of drama during the 2006 Winter Olympics. Sweden was accused of throwing their game against Slovakia so that it would play Switzerland rather than Canada or the Czech Republic. The greatest drama, though, was Canada’s disappointing performance as reigning champion.
Vancouver, 2010
Canada wins gold, the United States takes silver, and Finland takes bronze.
If you watched the 2010 Winter Olympics hockey competition, you know that Sidney Crosby ended Team USA’s chances of winning gold in overtime. The “Golden Goal” earned the Canadians a gold medal in their own land.
Sidney Crosby scores the “Golden Goal,” one of the most famous goals in Olympic hockey history, to help Canada win gold in 2010!
Photo taken in Vancouver in 2010. twitter.com/GzrZfnLmL7
February 14, 2018 — Hockey Daily 365 (@HockeyDaily365)
Sochi, Russia, in 2014
Canada wins gold, Sweden takes silver, and Finland takes bronze.
Canada had another successful year, defending their gold medal in men’s hockey while also winning gold in women’s hockey.
#OnThisDay in 2014, Canada earned its second consecutive Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey, defeating Sweden 3-0. pic.twitter.com/4pWDv5TFlh
— Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (@CBCOlympics) February 23, 2020
Despite the fact that the United States did not win a medal, T.J. Oshie scored four goals in a shootout to assist Team USA defeat Russia. “T.J. Sochi” was his moniker for life.
T.J. Oshie’s OT in Sochi. @TJOshie77 led the US Olympic men’s hockey team to victory against Russia in one of the most dramatic overtime shows ever seen on Olympic ice during the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. pic.twitter.com/VbZzZkd3Ix
December 23, 2019 NBC Sports (@NBCSports)
Pyeongchang, South Korea, 2018
Russia’s Olympic athletes took gold, Germany took silver, and Canada took bronze.
Due to a disagreement between the NHL and the International Olympic Committee about who would fund expenditures such as travel, insurance, and hotels, NHL players were not able to compete in the 2018 Olympics. The US women fared better versus Canada, capturing gold 20 years after winning gold in 1998.
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The “oldest hockey player” is a timeline of why NHL players in the Olympics hasn’t gone so well. The article includes information on how the Olympics have evolved, and what has been the reason for not having NHL players participate.
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