The likelihood of the NHL travelling to Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics continues to dwindle.
Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the issue Monday, saying the financial aspect is the biggest hurdle to overcome at this point.
"I'm sure our teams are not interested in paying for the privilege of disrupting our season," he said at his press conference ahead of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Bettman said the IIHF and International Olympic Committee (IOC) would need to cover the costs, but there's been no "substantive discussions" between the parties.
Travelling to South Korea in February would cost millions when factoring in transportation, insurance, and accommodations.
Since 1998 in Nagano, Japan, NHLers have competed in the OIympics, but there was similar doubt regarding their participation in Sochi in 2014.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL will make a decision by the end of 2016.
Daly - Olympics decision by the end of the calendar year.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 30, 2016
The league implemented the World Cup of Hockey, which could serve as the premier international tournament unless considerable ground is made up regarding the Olympics.
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The NHL is expected to make a decision on its current expansion process before the NHL Awards on June 22.
"Prior to the Awards event, the Board of Governors will meet, and I anticipate being able to provide a more definitive word on where the expansion process stands," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced in his annual press conference prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
He added that while he "would not handicap what's going to happen," he's "fairly certain" they'll know more after the Board of Governors' meeting.
Bettman said the league's executive board is expected to decide on a recommendation of four possible expansion options by June 15, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Options: 1. No expansion; 2. Expansion but deferred to later date; 3. Expansion by 1 team; 4. expansion by 2 teams.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 30, 2016
That recommendation will be shared with the Board of Governors in time for the June meeting.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly added that the earliest expansion could happen is the 2017-18 season, while it's possible it could be deferred for a year or more, reports Yahoo! Sports's Greg Wyshynski.
With Las Vegas being one of the cities involved in the expansion process, Bettman was also asked if the possibility of the NFL's Oakland Raiders moving to Las Vegas impacts the city's bid for an NHL team.
"We're judging the Vegas application on its own merit," Bettman replied, as quoted by Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Daly added: "The NFL has not been discussed within the executive committee."
Quebec City is also going through the NHL's formal expansion process.
Expansion draft rules were also discussed during the press conference. While adding expansion draft rules have "developed over time," per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, Daly provided one example of a rule that has already been changed:
One change to proposed expansion draft is there's no longer a minimum amount of cap space that needs to be exposed.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 30, 2016
Daly said that players with no-movement clauses will be protected from being claimed in an expansion draft, but those with no-trade clauses will not.
Meanwhile, expansion teams would not have any distinct advantage in their first NHL Entry Draft as Daly stated they will be part of the lottery with no guarantee where it will pick in the first round.
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The Russians will need to find another blueliner.
Former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was named to Russia's World Cup roster last week, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday that the Russian Hockey Federation has been told that Voynov's ineligible to participate because he's under NHL suspension.
Voynov spent two months in prison on domestic violence charges and voluntarily returned to Russia after being detained by immigration officials. He was suspended for the final 76 games of the season by the NHL and his contract was voided when he chose to leave the U.S. rather than face deportation.
Russian head coach Oleg Znarog said the decision isn't up to the NHL, because the World Cup is an international tournament, but Bettman came down with what appears to be the final word Monday.
After returning to Russia, Voynov played for St. Petersburg in the KHL, registering seven assists in 23 games, and two assists in 15 playoff games.
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It appears the Pittsburgh Penguins have removed the "For Sale" sign outside Consol Energy Center.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke to the media at a press conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday and talked about a potential sale of the Penguins.
"My understanding is there's no urgency, nothing pressing, no process in place for (the) Penguins to sell the club," Bettman said, according to Yahoo Sports' Greg Wyshynski.
Last June, the Penguins had a wealth management firm explore a potential sale, and were reportedly looking for at least $750 million. Penguins owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle released a statement in January saying they were exploring all strategic options, including the sale of the club.
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Joe Thornton is so close.
The San Jose Sharks center will finally play for the Stanley Cup, and he's hoping to get as close to it as he did as a 17-year-old.
His faith in the Sharks has never wavered, according to NHL.com's Nicholas Cotsonika. Thornton was at Game 4 of the 1997 Stanley Cup Final, when the Detroit Red Wings finished off the Philadelphia Flyers and Steve Yzerman became a champion for the first time.
Thornton was a top prospect at the time, eventually being drafted first overall at the 1997 draft. He took in the game with his brother John, and both were "bawling" when the Cup was lifted. In fact, John was a huge Yzerman fan, and Thornton eventually wore No. 19 in honor of the legendary Red Wings captain.
There are many similarities between Thornton and Yzerman. Before he became a Cup winner, Yzerman was never afforded the respect he truly deserved. He was a lightning rod of criticism in Detroit, and was often rumored to be on his way out of town via trade.
Thornton's career has been brilliant. He'll go down as one of the most prolific passers in the game. He was traded early in his career from the Boston Bruins to the Sharks, though, and his legacy is synonymous with the disappointing one of the Sharks. Great regular seasons, dreadful playoff defeats, and an inability to win it all.
Eventually the "C" was taken off Thornton's jersey, and many thought his days in the Bay Area were numbered. But here he is, almost 20 years after Yzerman won his Cup, chasing his own.
Over the past few weeks, Thornton's been honest about who he is: a great hockey player, but only one part of a team. And it takes a team to win a Stanley Cup. He said he wasn't bothered about losing the captaincy, and that he's comfortable in his own skin. He added that he loves to play the game and to put in the work.
"I enjoy the burn," Thornton said. "(Hockey's) the only thing I know, and I love it."
Even after the tough spring send-offs, Thornton always looked ahead positively to the upcoming seasons.
"You've got to put in the hard work in the summertime. You've just got to believe, and this can happen," he said.
"Next year" finally arrived for Thornton. All that's left is the Cup.
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When Dainius Zubrus speaks, the San Jose Sharks should listen.
Aside from goaltender Martin Jones, the 37-year-old is the only player on the Sharks with honest-to-goodness Stanley Cup Final experience. As he approaches the end of his career, he knows this could be his last shot at glory. In fact, it could the only shot for some of his teammates.
This will be Zubrus' third Cup Final. He's 0-for-2, and he knows how hard it is to get back to the dance. He played for the Cup as an 18-year-old rookie with the Philadelphia Flyers, and was part of Peter DeBoer's New Jersey Devils finals squad in 2012, which lost in six games to the Los Angeles Kings.
"This could be the best chance of their life," Zubrus said about his teammates, as quoted by Yahoo Sports' Sean Leahy, "and probably the best team they're going to be on ... don't waste the opportunity."
The Sharks have all the motivation in the world, especially considering Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau will be playing in their first Cup Final game Monday night. It took them a long, long time - and thousands of games - to make it, and they don't want to go home empty-handed.
Zubrus has come as close as two wins short.
"For whatever reason, it's just very hard to get to this point and to win it," he said.
It's the journey that makes the Stanley Cup the most revered trophy in pro sports.
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We're ready. So are the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks.
For the Pens, Kris Letang's a go. So is Nick Bonino. On the San Jose side, Matt Nieto's healthy after missing the Western Conference Final, but he's going to watch Game 1 with the rest of us.
Here are the projected lineups for the opener of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night, courtesy of the Sharks' website:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Tomas Hertl | Joe Thornton | Joe Pavelski |
| Patrick Marleau | Logan Couture | Joonas Donskoi |
| Melker Karlsson | Chris Tierney | Joel Ward |
| Dainius Zubrus | Nick Spaling | Tommy Wingels |
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Paul Martin | Brent Burns |
| Marc-Edouard Vlasic | Justin Braun |
| Brenden Dillon | Roman Polak |
| G |
|---|
| Martin Jones |
| James Reimer |
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Conor Sheary | Sidney Crosby | Patric Hornqvist |
| Chris Kunitz | Evgeni Malkin | Bryan Rust |
| Carl Hagelin | Nick Bonino | Phil Kessel |
| Tom Kuhnhackl | Matt Cullen | Eric Fehr |
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Brian Dumoulin | Kris Letang |
| Olli Maatta | Ben Lovejoy |
| Ian Cole | Justin Schultz |
| G |
|---|
| Matt Murray |
| Marc-Andre Fleury |
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Troy Brouwer has not ruled out a potential homecoming next season.
The St. Louis Blues forward - who's poised to become an unrestricted free agent July 1 - admitted Monday that he's considered the idea of joining the Canucks in an interview with News 1130 Radio in Vancouver.
"I have thought about it, for sure. Family and friends, playing for my hometown, it would be an experience for sure," said Brouwer. He added, "My dad was a huge Canucks fan, Mark Messier was a big influence in my hockey career, I watched him a lot in Vancouver."
Brouwer appears to be considering all his options - after the Blues were eliminated by the San Jose Sharks, he said he'd love to return to St. Louis. He said Monday he expects to meet with the Blues prior to July 1 and get a better idea regarding his future.
While the 30-year-old appears intrigued by the prospect of coming home, he knows it would also depend on Canucks management.
"Definitely be a great experience to play for the hometown team and see what it's like but I don't know (what the) Canucks' plans are," said Brouwer.
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