“It’s pretty disappointing,” said Matthews, the Maple Leafs centre who almost surely would have been on Team USA. Donald Fehr, the executive director of the NHL Players’ Association, expressed no regrets about rejecting that offer. While Bettman trumpeted the ability to “share NHL hockey with our fans overseas” he seemed nonplussed about skipping the Olympics. You see some names and you’re taken aback by how many good players are playing that aren’t in the NHL. There are so many good players around the world.

Source: thestar January 28, 2018 03:00 UTC