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Alex Ovechkin vs. the Blackhawks’ Company Men on Olympics

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin earned a lot of notoriety for sticking to his guns and saying that he’s still going to the Olympics even if the NHL isn’t. He’s been emboldened by his owner, Ted Leonsis, who has stated that he would support Ovechkin, goalie Braden Holtby and center Nicklas Backstrom if they left midseason to represent their countries in 2018.

Of course, that doesn’t address John Carlson or Evgeny Kuznetsov or T.J. Oshie (if he’s still there) and Philipp Grubauer, who would no doubt represent Germany in goal should they qualify and leave the Capitals with a third-stringer for three weeks of a still-happening NHL regular season.

Also, we’ll go ahead and assume that the Capitals will still charge full-price for these tickets to watch the de facto Hershey Bears while the star attractions attend the Olympics …

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All of this is to say that it’s great some owners have supported their players, but to allow one to leave would be to allow all to leave and that’s complicated. Which is why, from the moment the NHL announced it wasn’t going to the 2018 Games, we assumed it will play the role of wet blanket and enact some kind of rule that’ll prevent any of the players from going so owners like Leonsis can tell players like Ovechkin that their hands are tied by that nasty Gary Bettman and, oh well, just wait until 2022.

Earning less notoriety, but arguably more interesting, were the reactions from the Chicago Blackhawks’ players that were asked about the NHL pulling out of the Olympics.; in which some rather outspoken players sounded very much like Company Men.

Here’s Jonathan Toews:

Toews on NHL Olympic decision: "It just seems like it comes down to what can they get out of us when the next CBA negotiation rolls around." pic.twitter.com/WB66V2BL6A

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) April 4, 2017

There’s some pointed comments here about how the NHL is using this issue to play CBA hardball with the players, but we’ll come back to that first line:

“You have to respect your employers, your owner’s decision.”

That’s something you pretty much never hear when the players go to the negotiating table, is it?

Then you have Duncan Keith, via the Sun-Times:

“It’s a tough position as a player,” said Duncan Keith, who has won two gold medals with Canada. “You want to be respectful of the team and your owner who pays you the money, but you also want to be patriotic every chance you can, and play for your country. It’s a tough decision.”

Again, shout-out to Rocky Wirtz and the Blackhawks, and not a call for mutiny.

We know what you’re saying: These guys have their gold medals. What about those who don’t, like Patrick Kane?

From the Chicago Tribune:

KANE: "You’d rather be there, but you kind of understand where the NHL is coming from, but we’ll see what happens from now until then."

— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) April 4, 2017

Kane and Toews both said they would not leave the Blackhawks midseason to go play in the Olympics.

— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) April 4, 2017

Oh.

So what did Rocky Wirtz actually say about Olympic participation? From the Sun-Times:

“It’s 17 days of the season you’ve got to shut down,” owner Rocky Wirtz said last month. “I really don’t have an opinion on it, but it’s a tough time of the year. I’d love to see if they could do it in the summer when it doesn’t disrupt the season. Obviously, the players like it because very few of them actually go, and they get 17 days off. I think it’s not really fair for the fans, but I’ll let the league decide.”

 And “the league,” i.e. owners like Wirtz, have apparently decided not to go.

The players don’t feel this is a settled issue, even though every indication is that the NHL has made it one. It won’t be if the players extend the CBA, which they won’t; and it won’t be if the IOC gives the NHL the concessions it’s looking for, and good luck with that.

So if this is it, and the NHL isn’t going to South Korea, get ready for one hell of a showdown. No, not the NHL vs. the players leaving for the Olympics – the Company Men that put team over country vs. those players who put country above all else.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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