Brad Marchand is going at the NHL hard over the league pulling Olympic participation
Brad Marchand never pulls his punches on the ice, attacking the opposition relentlessly and without bias. Now, he is taking aim at the National Hockey League over the league going back on an agreement struck between the two sides during CBA negotiations that would allow players to represent their countries at the Olympics.
Marchand appeared frustrated on Monday, questioning why the NHL did not just leave it up to the players whether or not they wanted to attend the Olympics, regardless of the risks involved. On Tuesday, the league's most valuable pest took it to a new level. You can see his rant below.
Clearly Marchand is upset, as he has not yet been given the opportunity to represent his country and to have a chance to compete for an Olympic gold medal - and by the time he gets another opportunity in 2026, he will be 37 years old. That would frustrate just about anyone.
While the NHL is responsible for protecting their own investment (in this case, the players), they should also honour the agreement they made with the players - even if it means a potential 3-5 week quarantine in China for those who test positive. It's likely that a number of players would opt out anyway, given this information, but at least it would provide the opportunity for those who wish to go to do so.
Of course, the NHLPA also had a hand in cancelling Olympic participation, as they were in agreement with the NHL that the risks outweighed the potential benefits.
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