5 reasons why the NHL's Olympic spirit may live on, despite Bettman's posturing

Gary Bettman continues to talk out of both sides of his mouth.

In his interview with Reuters at the Sports Business Summit in New York on Tuesday, the NHL commissioner was asked whether NHL players will participate in the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

"As things stand now people should assume we are not going," was Bettman's answer.

He also stated: "We're not negotiating publicly."

• Bettman on Olympics: 'Assume we are not going'
• Bettman playing hardball but hasn't said no to Olympics

But a public negotiation was exactly what the stubborn NHL commissioner has been engaged in with this saga.

Bettman doesn't like the fact that International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has halted the practice of paying for the NHL players' insurance, travel, accommodations and hospitality.

So even though the International Ice Hockey Federation stepped in months ago to cover the costs, Bettman won't budge.

"The point is I was trying to emphasize the fact that this is terribly disruptive to our business and there seems to be no offsetting way to mitigate that disruption," he said.

"I've suggested why don't you treat us like a top sponsor.

"When the IOC comes to us and says, 'by the way we know it cost $15 to $20 million US to send your players between insurance, charter costs and accommodations for the players ... well, we're not going to pay for that.

"If they don't value our participation why are we going?"

You go to reward your loyal fans, you go to reward the hardworking players and you go because it grows the game. Even if just a handful of people tune in and become enthralled with the hockey, you are growing the game.

But here are five reasons why the NHL's Olympic spirit may live on, despite Bettman's dispiriting remarks on Tuesday.

What if there is another Miracle on Ice?

The five Olympics the NHL has participated in have produced memorable moments, from Dominik Hasek's dominating performance in 1998, to two Canada-U.S. gold-medal finals, to Sidney Crosby's golden goal, and to Sweden's remarkable turnaround to win gold in 2006 after being upset by Belarus four years earlier.

If the United States were to break through to win gold with or without NHL players in Pyeongchang, the game will receive a massive boost in the U.S. But it certainly would be better for the NHL if Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Johnny Gaudreau, Joe Pavelski and Patrick Kane were leading the way.

Players have a pulpit

On a whole, the players have been quiet since Gordie Howe long ago set the standard for hockey players being a nice, don't-rock-the-boat, bunch.

The odd one like Jacob Voracek has gone rogue to express their displeasure with Bettman's stubborn stance. But what if more superstars are more like Howe's less demure teammate Ted Lindsay and speak out publicly?

Or maybe even better, what if superstars begin to talk to their owners who in turn put some heat on Bettman? Not likely to happen, but if the players really want to go, this is an option.

Sponsors could apply pressure

It was interesting to learn in the Reuters story that the Japanese tire company, Bridgestone, has talked to the NHL about its stance on the Olympics. Bridgestone is a major sponsor of both the Olympics and NHL. What if more sponsors join in?

A surprising development has been NBC's public silence on this saga. The television network agreed to a $7.75-billion US extension in May 2014 to broadcast the Olympics through 2032 and also is a NHL rights holder.

NBC wants a best-on-best men's hockey tournament to showcase and heighten ratings in Pyeongchang. If the NHL disses the network for the 2018 Olympics, does NBC continue its warm and fuzzy feeling toward the league come time to talk extension?

Beijing won't be easy if Pyeongchang is punted

The fact that the 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing presents an untapped revenue opportunity for the hockey world. The NHL would be nuts not to be there if it has designs on reaching the massive Chinese market.

With Saskatoon's Sean Collins as one of its top players, HC Kunlun Red Star was added to the KHL loop this season and this has put pressure on the NHL to stake its claim in this market.

But if the NHL skips Pyeongchang, the IOC could make it difficult for the league to return to the Olympic movement for Beijing.

History

NHL lockouts in 2004-05 and again in 2012-13 delayed a deal in the NHL going to the Winter Games in 2006 and 2014 until the previous summers.

Until Bettman drops his posturing and emphatically states the door has been closed on the 2018 Olympics there still is a chance we'll see the game's best in South Korea in 11 months time.