NHL Not Going To 2018 Olympics In South Korea
PHILADELPHIA (AP)--The NHL is not going to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, the Associated Press reports.
The league announced its decision Monday afternoon, saying the matter was "officially closed."
The league says no meaningful dialogue had materialized in talks with the NHLPA, International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation. The league wanted to close the matter before the playoffs, which begin April 13.
Team owners have complained that stopping the NHL season for three weeks every four years wasn't worth it.
NHL players had participated in the previous five Olympics dating to 1998. Many players expressed a strong desire to go, and Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has said he plans to go regardless of NHL participation.
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