By Canadian Press

NewsAlert: NHL players not going to Beijing Olympics due to COVID-19 concerns

Dec 21, 2021 | 2:01 PM

NHL players won’t be going to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, a person with direct knowledge of the decision said Tuesday. 

The move by league and the NHL Players’ Association comes amid COVID-19 concern that has seen an explosion of cases and 45 games postponed since Dec. 13.

The person spoke to The Canadian Press on the condition of anonymity because a formal announcement has yet to be made. 

The NHL and NHLPA officially committed to going to China for the 2022 Games back in September, but that agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation allowed either party to withdraw if COVID-19 conditions rendered participation “impractical or unsafe.” 

More than a third of NHL clubs — including the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators — have either been recently shut down or voluntarily suspended activities due to coronavirus concerns. The league currently has more than 15 per cent of its players in virus protocol, forcing the postponement of 45 games since Dec. 13 alone. 

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The NHL went to five straight Olympics from 1998 through 2014 before skipping the 2018 tournament in South Korea. The announcement regarding the 2022 Games in February means the likes of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews will have to wait until at least 2026 for the chance to compete on sports’ biggest stage. 

More coming. 

The Canadian Press