60. "The players want it and the IIHF can put the screws to the NHL" In response to In response to 54 Thu Feb-20-14 06:47 PM by ConcreteCharlie
Guys get hurt almost every time around. You take any given set of a half dozen NHL games, someone is going to get injured. Hank was already beat up. Kesler always seems a little beat up, maybe just his style of play. The Tavares injury sucks but that's life. Players also come back stronger from the Olympics. Do you think Mario Lemieux would have become every bit the player he was in the early 90s without the '87 Canada Cup, for example? Overall the IIHF does a lot to prepare players for the NHL and improve them once they are there, too. I don't think the injuries will deter them alone. The GMs and coaches seem split on the stop/start (the economics thereof) and the fact that a lot of their players get midseason rest. To me that is all a wash. I would be very surprised to see the NHL back out for 2018. Bettman will string it out for sure, but I think ultimately they will be there.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.