The NHL had said it would do everything possible to keep its pledge that players could return to the Olympics.
But with COVID cases surging and games being postponed, the league and players association accepted the inevitable and are pulling the plug, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement hasn't been made.
That announcement is expected within 24 hours, the person said.
When the NHL reached the agreement on the 2022 Winter Games, it said it would depend on whether the COVID-19 situation would create so many postponements that the league would need to use the Feb. 7-22 Olympic break in order to reschedule games.
That happened in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases soared. On Sunday, the league postponed all cross-border games through the Christmas break (Dec. 24-26). On Monday, it decided to start its Christmas break two days early. There have been 50 game postponed, including some earlier in the season, and 48 left to reschedule. According to ESPN, more than 15% of the NHL's players were in COVID-19 protocols as of Monday night.
The league will use the previous Olympic time to reschedule games, though a short break could be built in for players.
NHL players went to five Olympics from 1998 to 2014 but didn't go in 2018 to Pyeongchang, South Korea. Owners aren't fond of the Olympic break, believing it robs momentum from the regular season. But players enjoy suiting up for their country, so Olympic participation in 2022 and 2026 was granted in the collective-bargaining agreement.
The league had until Jan. 10 to pull out without financial ramifications. Making the decision early gives countries' hockey federations the time to find alternate players.
The 2018 USA team was made up of minor leaguers, college players and Americans playing in overseas leagues.
Russia won gold in 2018 using players from the country's Kontinental Hockey League. The U.S. did not medal.
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