Kukla's Korner Hockey
Steven Stamkos And Jeff Vinik On The All-Star Game And Olympics
by Paul on 06/03/17 at 05:38 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times,
...it's still hard for Stamkos to hide the disappointment of what the game signals: that the NHL won't be participating in the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.
Stamkos hasn't competed for Canada in an Olympics and may never get that chance unless owners have a change of heart for 2022.
"It's a little bittersweet," Stamkos said. "If there's the Olympics, then the (All-Star Game) doesn't come to Tampa, so it's a double-edged sword. If it comes to the point where there's no Olympics, I couldn't think of a better place to host the game. We've proven the hockey market that we are, how great we are. I think it'd be a great time."...
Hedman and fellow Swede Anton Stralman experienced the joy of winning gold at the World Championship last month, but neither has played in the Olympics. Stralman said the league "crushed a dream," caring mostly about money.
"It's a few billionaires trying to make an extra buck," Stralman said.
...So I asked Vinik, what's your message to your players?
"I'm empathetic towards the players. I understand their points of view," he said. "But I also understand the point of view of the owners and commissioner that we are shutting down our season for three weeks. No other professional sports league does that. It's a strong belief of the owners that it doesn't make sense."
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: jeff+vinik,
steven+stamkos
Comments
Be the first to comment.
Add a Comment
Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.
Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.
Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.
Most Recent Blog Posts
Video- 41 Years Ago, Mikey Bossy 50 In 50
The Goaltending Battle In St. Louis
The Florida Panthers Are Wearing A Target On Their Back
Toronto Is A Different Team This Season
ECHL Suspends A Player While Investigating A Racial Taunt
No Rebuild For The Pittsburgh Penguins At This Point
Goaltending For The Edmonton Oilers Sparks A Comeback Win Over The Calgary Flames
About Kukla's Korner Hockey
Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.
Email Paul anytime at pk@kuklaskorner.com