CBS Sports: NHL decision on 2018 may come in six months, World Cup soon
http://www.cbssports...-world-cup-soon
Let me start out by saying, I like hockey in the Olympics more than "regular hockey." While I don't usually make the Caps appointment TV, I do enjoy watching the games and even moreso in the playoffs. All that said, I don't think the NHL benefits from someone like me. It's good for "growing the game' in a way, but once this event is over I'm back to my regular habits. I think there's many people in a similar boat to myself. This is similar to the World Cup soccer as well. We wrap ourselves around the flag and a single game knockout tournament (after a preliminary round) like in March Madness is very appealing to casual and non-traditional fans.
I can't come up with a good analogy here, but the NHL is sending it's best and is seeing little in return. Sure, someone like TJ Oshie might drive up the St. Louis Blues ratings and more will want to buy his jersey. There's the risk of injury to it's players, which can happen at any time, but it be worse from an owners perspective if it was during this event. In addition it messes up the regular season. I'd imagine hard core fans, who care much more about their team winning the Cup aren't too happy about this either.
Personally, I have mixed feelings about pros being in the Olympics in the first place. I think what made 1980 so special was that they were a bunch of college kids going up against the big bad Russians in the height of the cold weather. Unlikely that type of event would ever be replicated anyways given the underdog status, world events, and home ice. I really wish I had been alive for that. At the same time, I do like seeing the best in the world compete.
While I enjoy seeing NHL players compete in the Olympics, I completely understand if the owners want to go in a different direction with a World Cup-like tournament which the NHL could actually reap the benefits of. It makes even less sense to compete in South Korea given the time difference (already applicable in Sochi) in addition to the fact, South Korea doesn't exactly have much of a hockey culture.