The owners aren't willing to budge.

Emerging on Thursday evening from the Board of Governors meetings in Florida, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman informed reporters on hand that the 30 owners had expressed a "strong negative sentiment" toward Olympic participation in 2018, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

Dreger notes that a decision was not made inside the boardroom, but the hope that NHL players will be in Pyeongchang appears to be "fading."

This isn't a variation in stance. The NHL's owners have long been opposed to the in-season interruption and potential for stars to suffer injuries while representing their countries, but have ultimately made that concession in recent years.

Bettman also touched on escrow - another major issue loosely connected to the topic after the NHL offered international competition in exchange for an extension on the current conditions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. He reiterated that the system depends on escrow, and it must rise as long as players continue to vote in favor of the salary cap escalator.

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While Connor McDavid is well on his way to earning the Art Ross trophy - currently leading the NHL with 36 points - and possibly more this season, he hasn't earned the moniker of NHL's best player. Not to Wayne Gretzky, at least.

Gretzky believes the title still belongs to Sidney Crosby, who's tied for the league lead in goals, and is fourth league-wide in points with only 20 games played.

"Sid is still the best player in hockey. That's a mantle you earn over time," Gretzky told Craig Custance of ESPN. "It's one of those things where you have to earn that title."

Of course, Crosby is 10 years McDavid's senior, and while the Oilers phenom seems poised to take over, Sid's accolades seal it for The Great One.

"Is Connor a great player? Absolutely. Does Connor have an opportunity to be the next Crosby? Absolutely," Gretzky said. "Right now, Sidney deserves to be known as the best player in the game. He's been the best player consistently in his career. He's won Stanley Cups and he's won gold medals. Until somebody takes that mantle away from him, he's still going to hold the crown."

As Crosby reaches the peak of his prime, and McDavid enters his, a passing of the torch may feel inevitable, but coming from the player no superstar - past or present - can usurp on hockey's totem pole, Gretzky's view has to be taken as valid.

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While Connor McDavid is well on his way to earning the Art Ross trophy - currently leading the NHL with 36 points - and possibly more this season, he hasn't earned the moniker of NHL's best player. Not to Wayne Gretzky, at least.

Gretzky believes the title still belongs to Sidney Crosby, who's tied for the league lead in goals, and is fourth league-wide in points with only 20 games played.

"Sid is still the best player in hockey. That's a mantle you earn over time," Gretzky told Craig Custance of ESPN. "It's one of those things where you have to earn that title."

Of course, Crosby is 10 years McDavid's senior, and while the Oilers phenom seems poised to take over, Sid's accolades seal it for The Great One.

"Is Connor a great player? Absolutely. Does Connor have an opportunity to be the next Crosby? Absolutely," Gretzky said. "Right now, Sidney deserves to be known as the best player in the game. He's been the best player consistently in his career. He's won Stanley Cups and he's won gold medals. Until somebody takes that mantle away from him, he's still going to hold the crown."

As Crosby reaches the peak of his prime, and McDavid enters his, a passing of the torch may feel inevitable, but coming from the player no superstar - past or present - can usurp on hockey's totem pole, Gretzky's view has to be taken as valid.

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A player for a pick.

That's the asking price when it comes to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Peter Holland, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

"(General manager Lou) Lamoriello wants a draft pick. He doesn't want a contract," Dreger told TSN 1050. "Because of the fact that Holland makes $1.3 million, he's not an easy fit with most organizations."

NHL clubs are limited to 50 contracts, while the Maple Leafs currently sit at 48, including Holland.

Holland has recorded just one point in eight games this season. He has been sent home by the club while it attempts to work out a trade.

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A player for a pick.

That's the asking price when it comes to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Peter Holland, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

"(General manager Lou) Lamoriello wants a draft pick. He doesn't want a contract," Dreger told TSN 1050. "Because of the fact that Holland makes $1.3 million, he's not an easy fit with most organizations."

NHL clubs are limited to 50 contracts, while the Maple Leafs currently sit at 48, including Holland.

Holland has recorded just one point in eight games this season. He has been sent home by the club while it attempts to work out a trade.

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When Phil Kessel was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the thought of adding him to a forward corps built around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was downright frightening.

His first regular season with the club had its ups and downs, both from a personal production standpoint and for the Penguins as a group, and Kessel's 26 goals and 59 points came in below expectations.

Kessel found his game under replacement head coach Mike Sullivan, and he broke out on the way to a Stanley Cup win with 10 goals and 12 assists in 24 playoff games - and should have won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

And through 26 games in 2016-17, Kessel has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, a quick look at the points per game leaderboard and we see all three Penguins snipers ranked within the top five among players with at least 20 appearances this season.

In terms of total points, Malkin leads the way with 28 - good for third overall -while Crosby and Kessel are tied with several others for fourth with 27.

If and when the Penguins decide to settle on a single goalie, this team will be well-positioned to repeat as champions.

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When Phil Kessel was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the thought of adding him to a forward corps built around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was downright frightening.

His first regular season with the club had its ups and downs, both from a personal production standpoint and for the Penguins as a group, and Kessel's 26 goals and 59 points came in below expectations.

Kessel found his game under replacement head coach Mike Sullivan, and he broke out on the way to a Stanley Cup win with 10 goals and 12 assists in 24 playoff games - and should have won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

And through 26 games in 2016-17, Kessel has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, a quick look at the points per game leaderboard and we see all three Penguins snipers ranked within the top five among players with at least 20 appearances this season.

In terms of total points, Malkin leads the way with 28 - good for third overall -while Crosby and Kessel are tied with several others for fourth with 27.

If and when the Penguins decide to settle on a single goalie, this team will be well-positioned to repeat as champions.

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It's not by accident that Zach Werenski has put himself in the Calder Trophy conversation.

The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman recently traveled to his home state of Michigan following the death of his grandfather, but that didn't stop him from staying in game shape, much to the delight of head coach John Tortorella.

From Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch:

As it so happens, the Blue Jackets will be in Detroit to play the Red Wings on Friday, and Werenski - who has recorded 17 points in 24 games - could give his family a boost with a strong performance after what has surely been a tough week.

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The National Hockey League officially responded Thursday to the apparent denial of the Vegas Golden Knights' trademark application by the USPTO, calling the registration "a routine matter" and expressing confidence in working through the process without changing the team's name or logo.

Related: Vegas not concerned about Golden Knights trademark issue

From deputy commissioner Bill Daly:

We are currently reviewing the Trademark Office's letter and will prepare a detailed response demonstrating why we continue strongly to believe the Vegas Golden Knights mark should be registered in co-existence with the college registration, just as a number of other nicknames currently co-exist in professional and college sports (particularly where there is no overlap as to the sport for which the nickname is being used). That response is not due until June 7, 2017.

We consider this a routine matter and it is not our intention to reconsider the name or logo of this franchise. We fully intend to proceed as originally planned, relying on our common law trademark rights as well as our state trademark registrations while we work through the process of addressing the question raised in the federal applications.

The Golden Knights are set to take to the ice next season.

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The unveiling of the NHL's 31st franchise hit another speed bump.

Weeks after a somewhat botched reveal of the Vegas team's name and logo, there's believed to be a snag in regards to trademarking the Golden Knights.

A report by SB Nation's Mary Clarke on Wednesday pointed to a United States Patent and Trademark office document that apparently denied an application filed by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment - team owner Bill Foley's company - because the Vegas Golden Knights mark too closely resembles that of the The College of Saint Rose Golden Knights, based in Albany, N.Y.

Here are the two looks side by side.

Senior vice president and former NHL player Murray Craven doesn't appear overly concerned with the development, however.

"We believe, at the end of the day, all parties will embrace the fact that we are the Vegas Golden Knights and this absolutely will work out," Craven told Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I hope people don't overreact to this at all. We believe everyone will be satisfied. We are only going to enhance the name Golden Knights for everyone. That's our goal. I won't put words in Bill Foley's mouth, but we all believe this will be fine."

In the end, money will likely talk here.

The NHL is expected to make a formal statement Thursday, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

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