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Success in Salt Lake City does not guarantee the players will participate in Torino.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 26, 2002
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- The fans stood and cheered, and the players raised their sticks in gratitude.
The U.S. men's hockey team had just lost 5-2 to Canada in the Olympic gold-medal game, and the ovation from a crowd of 8,000-plus echoed through the E Center. The U.S. team saluted from center ice, and the cheers grew louder.
It was a moving ending to a wildly successful tournament that far surpassed expectations.
The level of play and determination provided by NHL players was so good, some called it the best-played international tournament ever. Television ratings were excellent.
All of which makes the NHL a willing partner for the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy, right?
Wrong.
Scheduling problems made the Games a logistical nightmare. The compressed NHL schedule to accommodate the league's 12-day shutdown for the Games has been exhausting.
And who knows what parameters will be set for participating in any international tournaments when the next contract between the players' association and the league is hammered out. The current deal expires after the 2003-04 season.
"I don't know what the future is going to hold," commissioner Gary Bettman said. "We're going to have to sit back and digest it all and see what the impact has been on the season.
"If it makes sense and is good for the game on the NHL level and good for the players and good for the teams and the fans, it obviously will have to be considered."
There is no doubt where the players stand.
"I think it's a great thing," Lightning and Russia goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin said. "If you look at how big the interest was from all over the world, especially when we played the U.S. both times, I think the interest was unbelievable."
"If you can work it out so it doesn't disrupt the schedule too much, then it's a great thing," U.S. goaltender Mike Richter said. "From my point of view, it was nothing but positive."
The issue, players association executive director Bob Goodenow said, "is trying to make that work in harmony with other commitments and obligations. Hopefully, everyone can get together and work on a formula that works even better in the future."
The main problem was the Olympics' preliminary round.
The NHL agreed in its contract with the International Ice Hockey Federation, which ran the tournament, to make players available after Feb. 13. But for teams that had to play into the main draw -- such as Slovakia, Latvia, Germany and Belarus -- games began Feb. 9.
NHL players who wanted to participate had to hope their NHL teams did not play on those dates and management would let them play.
That led to situations such as Kings forward Ziggy Palffy playing four games in five nights, three for Los Angeles and one for Slovakia.
The NHL's insistence that players not miss league games denied Hurricanes goalie Arturs Irbe the chance to play for Latvia on Feb. 10, even though Carolina gave its permission for him to miss the game against the Sharks.
Suffice it to say, scheduling (possibly the Olympics shortening its tournament and the NHL canceling the All-Star Game in Olympic years) will be a hot topic.
"I'd like to see a little more commitment from the NHL, a little more time," U.S. coach Herb Brooks said. "These guys paid a price to come here. If the NHL doesn't come back, then maybe we could present the national junior teams as the Olympics and let everything grow from that."
"I hope it can be worked out," Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky said. "I think it's great for the NHL. If you're going to play in an event, you might as well send your best athletes."