NHL Participation in Sochi TBD

(ATR) Players and owners end the NHL lockout with no word whether the world’s best will lace up their skates for Sochi 2014.

In the wee hours of its 113th day, the work stoppage came to an end when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players' Association Executive Director Donald Fehr announced Sunday the framework is in place for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

According to an ESPN report, the tentative deal allows for a 50-game season beginning Jan. 15 or a 48-game season beginning Jan. 19, depending on how quickly owners ratify the CBA.

As details emerge about the terms of the 10-year agreement, however, absent is any mention of NHL participation at Sochi 2014 or – for that matter – PyeongChang 2018.

Neither is an easy destination to fly in athletes for the two-week tournament, traditionally a highlight of the Winter Games.

"We cannot comment yet," an International Ice Hockey Federation spokesman tells Around the Rings, citing reports that Olympics participation is not part of the new CBA and will insteadbe negotiated at a later date in discussions also involving the IOC and IIHF.

That’s in direct conflict with a Sunday tweet from Sochi 2014 saying "Good news! NHL agrees to take part in Sochi Olympics" and linking to an erroneous report from Russian daily The Sport Express claiming guarantees for NHL participation were written into the deal.

That was the case last time around for Winter Games in Torino and Vancouver, but such language appears to be left out of the new CBA.

Efforts made Monday by ATR to reach Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko for comment are so far unsuccessful.

"As for the lockout being over," the IIHF spokesman adds, "[President] René Fasel has always said that this is not good for hockey and the sooner the parties settle the better."

Previous labor disputes yielded a 48-game season in 1995 and none in 2004-2005, a dubious distinction among U.S. sports leagues.

Despite the stoppages, NHL players have competed at every Olympics since 1998, the first in which they were allowed to play.

Written by Matthew Grayson.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.