It’s my Parting Shot to tell N-H-L team owners and league hierarchy that you can’t ever stop N-H-L players from competing in the Winter Olympics again…..
No matter what happens in tomorrow’s semi-finals and in the Gold and Bronze medal games on Sunday and Saturday, respectively, yesterday’s quarter-final games drove that point home, big time!
Don’t get me wrong, there is no doubt that the lengthy N-H-L season and march to the Stanley Cup champion is great sports theater with the best athletes on skates as the players. But, add in that those athletes are now playing for their flag and country and the best-on-best Winter Olympics tournament far exceeds anything the N-H-L can offer!
In my humble opinion, of course!!
The fact that this is the first time N-H-L players have been allowed to take part in a Winter Games since Sochi, Russia, in 2014 is scandalous. But, the league – with the urging of owners – say they didn’t want to take away the momentum of a regular-season by taking a three-week break in order to allow their best to play in the Olympics. The owners didn’t want it because of the chance that a key player or two of theirs might get injured!
Hey N-H-L owners, soccer takes a break from their various league schedules around the world several times in a year in order to play international tournaments and qualifiers and friendlies and they seem to not mind! Get over yourselves and give your paying fans what they want!!
Like three of the four quarter-final games going to overtime yesterday! Canada rallying late and getting two huge saves from Jordan Binnington and a Mitch Marner goal in O-T to subdue Czechia; Finland coming back from 2-0 down in the final seven minutes to win in extra time and the Americans recovering from allowing a late goal in regulation to win in the three-on-three fourth period!
Drama, personified!! Fans going crazy, waving flags at the venue and fans watching on T-V, especially here in Canada, looking for a way to calm their nerves and their heart rates!
Don’t get me wrong, the N-H-L is great – but Winter Olympics – best-on-best, nation against nation hockey is better!!
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!
