from the CP at TSN,

A senior Canadian ice hockey official believes NHL players will return to the Winter Olympics, and is urging an early decision this time.

The participation of NHL players in the Olympics is contentious because of disruption to the league season and teams' concerns over injury risks.

Bob Nicholson, a vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation and former Hockey Canada chief, was asked Friday about the prospect of NHL players competing at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

"The players want to go but it's very difficult for the NHL," Nicholson said. "If everyone agrees to take some and leave some on the table, I think we'll see NHL players in the future."

"You never like it to go down to the wire, because everyone loses," he added. "The sooner you decide to go, the better it will be for them and for all of the countries participating."

NHL players have participated in every Winter Olympics since 1998. Doubts have been raised about the league's participation in Pyeongchang because of, among other things, a lack of hockey tradition in Korea.

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