Still, a silver medal has put Germany back on the world's hockey map with only its second Olympic medal and first since a bronze in 1976. There are no easy answers whether or not the NHL will be back at the Olympics in Beijing. IOC president Thomas Back made overtures a year ago that if the NHL doesn't go to Pyeongchang it will not be welcome in Beijing. The hockey world also has to wait and see if either the NHL or NHLPA decides to opt out of the current 10-year collective bargaining agreement that expires in 2022. This whole dispute between the NHL and IOC revolves around Bach's refusal to pay travel and insurance costs in exchange for the NHL's participation.

Source: CBC News February 25, 2018 12:11 UTC