Will NHL players participate in the Winter Olympics?

NHL players will not play in the Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to begin Feb. 4. The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association had negotiated Olympic participation in their latest collective bargaining agreement, but amid a rise in coronavirus cases, those plans changed . “The National Hockey League respects and admires the desire of NHL Players to represent their countries and participate in a ‘best on best’ tournament. Accordingly, we have waited as long as possible to make this decision while exploring every available option to enable our Players to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Unfortunately, given the profound disruption to the NHL’s regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events … Olympic participation is no longer feasible.” The last time NHL players were allowed to participate in the Games was during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Canada won the gold medal . NHL players were not allowed to participate in the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Many players were upset with the NHL’s decision at the time — notably Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, who released a lengthy statement expressing his disappointment.

How did the NHL decide whether players would participate in the Winter Olympics?

In early December, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said it would be up to the players to decide whether they wanted to attend. Bettman said the league wanted to act in “good faith” and ultimately let them make the call. However, the omicron variant caused major disruptions — and the situation quickly spiraled. Amid the rise in cases, the NHL and the players’ union reconsidered whether players will participate. The NHL and the NHLPA released a joint statement on Sunday, noting the discussion was ongoing at the time. The NHL technically had the final say because of a caveat in the CBA that would allow it to withdraw from the Games if coronavirus problems force too many games to be rescheduled. The league formally announced the decision Wednesday. “Although we are disappointed to receive this decision by the NHL and NHLPA, we nevertheless fully understand the circumstances that forced this action to be taken,” International Ice Hockey Federation President Luc Tardif said in a statement.

How do players feel about the coronavirus surge in the NHL?

Most of the players, at least publicly, have seemed indifferent about the spike in cases. There are concerns about health and safety, but the majority of reported cases have involved asymptomatic players or those with mild symptoms. “I sure hope we come to a time when everyone who is asymptomatic of everything is eligible to play, attend games and live life again,” Toronto General Manager Kyle Dubas told reporters recently. Ian Auld, head physician for the Calgary Flames, recently told reporters that, “overwhelmingly, our cases so far have been either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.” “We do have a few people, somewhere between four and six, and a lot of cases are in evolution so it may change, that have had moderate symptoms,” said Auld, who dealt with an outbreak on the Flames this month. “Chills, fevers, fatigue, but turning the corner quickly, in 36 to 48 hours.”

What are the covid protocols for the Winter Olympics?

The covid protocols are still being worked out, but there is an expectation that the guidelines will be strict in Beijing. Bettman and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly had previously said there was no certainty about what would happen if a player tests positive for the virus while at the Games. There had been reports that the IOC told the NHL that any athlete with a confirmed positive at the Olympics must produce two negative tests 24 hours apart to be released. If that is not the case, the isolation period in Beijing could last from 21 days up to five weeks.

Did any players opt out of the Winter Olympics before the decision?

Only one notable player had already opted out before the decision: Robin Lehner, the Vegas Golden Knights goaltender who has long been an advocate for mental health. Lehner said in early December that he would not play for his native Sweden. Other players expressed concerns about going to the Olympics because of the potential lengthy isolation period. Oilers star Connor McDavid told reporters that it was “unsettling.” Toronto star Auston Matthews told reporters he was “just playing it by ear” and that players wanted to get more information before making a decision. “Obviously I’d love to go and I’d love to compete, but there’s certainly some things that I think a lot of us would like to see worked out and some questions that we’d like to see answered,” he said.

Will there still be an Olympic break in the NHL season, even though players are not going to the Games?

The NHL did create a schedule that adjusted for play without an Olympic break and Bettman has indicated the NHL will play on during that time frame. A revised schedule has not been released. “Our focus and goal have been and must remain to responsibly and safely complete the entirety of the NHL regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs in a timely manner,” Bettman said in his statement about the decision. “Therefore, with stringent health protocols once again in place, we will begin utilizing available dates during the Feb. 6-22 window (originally contemplated to accommodate Olympic participation) to reschedule games that have been, or may yet be, postponed.” But the shifting schedule appears to present a new problem for the league: Many NHL arenas were booked for concerts and other events during the planned Olympic break.

National Hockey League

The NHL’s coronavirus surge will keep its players out of the Olympics. Here’s what to know.

By Samantha Pell

Updated December 22, 2021 at 12:25 p.m. EST|Published December 20, 2021 at 3:07 p.m. EST

A surge in coronavirus cases forced the NHL to reconsider plans to participate in the Winter Games. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)

With their season halted amid a spike in coronavirus cases and the rise of the omicron variant, NHL players will not participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics, a decision that comes just weeks ahead of the Beijing Games.

Get the full experience.Choose your plan

The NHL was the first major pro sports league in North America to make plans to halt play entirely. The pause isn’t a long one; the schedule is set to resume Monday.

How pro sports leagues are handling the latest coronavirus surge

The league shut down several teams before decisions about the Games and the regular season schedule changes were announced: the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Boston Bruins. (The Calgary Flames reopened their facility Monday after a lengthy pause.) And roughly 15 percent of NHL players were in the coronavirus protocols.

Here’s what you need to know about the NHL’s participation in the Winter Olympics.

The Beijing Olympics begin Feb. 4. Here’s what you need to know.

Coronavirus: What you need to know

End of the public health emergency: The Biden administration ended the public health emergency for the coronavirus pandemic on May 11, just days after WHO said it would no longer classify the coronavirus pandemic as a public health emergency. Here’s what the end of the covid public health emergency means for you.

Tracking covid cases, deaths: Covid-19 was the fourth leading cause of death in the United States last year with covid deaths dropping 47 percent between 2021 and 2022. See the latest covid numbers in the U.S. and across the world.

The latest on coronavirus boosters: The FDA cleared the way for people who are at least 65 or immune-compromised to receive a second updated booster shot for the coronavirus. Here’s who should get the second covid booster and when.

New covid variant: A new coronavirus subvariant, XBB. 1.16, has been designated as a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization. The latest omicron offshoot is particularly prevalent in India. Here’s what you need to know about Arcturus.

Would we shut down again? What will the United States do the next time a deadly virus comes knocking on the door?

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