With NHL players out of the Olympics, Sharks’ Vlasic feeling left out

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Marc-Edouard Vlasic was determined to play in the Winter Olympic hockey tournament.

Then his lawyers got ahold of him.

The Sharks’ defenseman was furious that the NHL — which had sent players to every Winter Olympics since 1998 — decided it didn’t want to have another three-week, regular-season interruption. In place of some of the best players in the world, the U.S. national team roster in Pyeongchang will be filled with NCAA players, professionals competing without two-way NHL contracts in other leagues and those skating in Europe.

“I’m frustrated with who is not letting me go,” said Vlasic. “People bash the (U.S.) team that was selected, but they’re on there because they’re the best players who can represent our country.”

Vlasic continued to strenuously plead his case until his lawyers sat him down for a chat. According to Vlasic, he was told that he risked termination of his eight-year, $56million contract extension, would have to defy a court order and — if he ended up skating for Canada — possibly be subject to arrest.

“Do you want to do that?” said Vlasic. “You’re getting pretty far into the legal department there.”

When the league announced its decision in April, it blamed disputes between the NHL and the International Olympic Committee over who would pay for the athletes’ travel, insurance and accommodations.

Jay Bouwmeester #4, Marc-Edouard Vlasic #44 and Braden Holtby #70 of Team Canada sing their national anthem during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. less Jay Bouwmeester #4, Marc-Edouard Vlasic #44 and Braden Holtby #70 of Team Canada sing their national anthem during Game Two of the World Cup of Hockey final series at the Air Canada Centre on September 29, 2016 ... more Photo: Andre Ringuette / World Cup Of Hockey Via Getty Images Photo: Andre Ringuette / World Cup Of Hockey Via Getty Images Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close With NHL players out of the Olympics, Sharks’ Vlasic feeling left out 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

The NHL also was dealing with a number of influential owners who couldn’t reconcile the notion that shuttering the NHL for three weeks in exchange for showcasing their game on a broader stage halfway around the world would, in the end, benefit what has become a $4 billion-a-year industry.

“When it got announced that we weren’t going, it definitely was disappointing,” said Sharks captain Joe Pavelski, a two-time U.S. Olympian. “Then as it gets closer, and the buzz of the Olympics are around, you definitely miss it.”

Former Sharks forward Tony Granato is coach of the U.S. team, which has only a handful of ex-NHLers, including Brian Gionta, James Wisniewski, Mark Arcobello, Chris Bourque (son of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque) and John McCarthy, a member of the Sharks’ AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.

“Putting that jersey on is so special, and those guys are going to do a great job,” Pavelski said. “I’m excited for the guys who have the opportunity to go.”

Said Vlasic: “Am I going to watch the hockey? I’ll probably see the highlights. I won’t sit down and watch it.”

Vlasic helped spearhead Canada’s blue line en route to winning gold at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. The 30-year-old Montreal native — in his 12th season with the Sharks — almost certainly would have been chosen for the team again. Now, with the uncertainty of the NHL participating in even the 2022 Games in Beijing, Vlasic knows the challenge of making the ultra-deep Canadian roster at age 34 won’t be easy.

“I would love to in 2022,” he said. “I’m fighting not only for myself in ’22, but for every other player who gets a chance to do it in 2026, ’30, ’34 and down the road. I’m not just thinking of myself, I’m thinking about all the players who deserve to go.”

That determination is what moved Vlasic to hold a conference call with lawyers and the NHL Players’ Association. Termination of his extension (which was signed July 1) was a possibility. The Sharks could be targeted for a suit, and ultimately Vlasic could be, too, if it could be proved that the product San Jose was putting on the ice during his absence wasn’t as good as if he had been playing.

According to Vlasic, he was told that a court order could be issued if a player still insisted on going. And, ultimately, a player could be arrested for violating the order if he played.

“I don’t think it would have gone that far, but it’s a possibility,” said Vlasic, who noted his initial thought when the league made its decision was to go no matter what.

As popular as the decision was to include NHL players in the previous five Games (beginning with Nagano, Japan, in 1998), there’s no guarantee it’ll pick up again in 2022. Before the league pulled out of these Games, the IOC said the NHL’s participation in Beijing was contingent on attendance in Pyeongchang.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman did not sound optimistic when asked during the recent NHL All-Star weekend festivities in Tampa, Fla.

“The clubs find — (and) the owners find — that the Olympics are very disruptive on our season,” he said. “Could that circumstance change at some point in the future? I suppose so. But it’s not something we’re currently contemplating.”

Vlasic suggests a solution.

“The only way to guarantee the players go is to put it” in the collective bargaining agreement, he said.

Either side has the option in September 2019 to reopen the 10-year CBA that is not due to otherwise expire until after the 2021-22 season. The players have only informally discussed the topic.

“It’s still a little ways away, and I’m sure guys will look at that if there is a move as a group,” Pavelski said. “It’s not just the players’ association, it’s the NHL, too. I’m sure there’s a few of those owners who wanted to go.

“The Olympics are so much bigger than one team, one person. If we can get back there, that’s definitely best for our game.”

Ross McKeon is a freelance writer. Twitter: @rossmckeon

COUNTDOWN

TO PYEONGCHANG

7

Days until the Opening Ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in South Korea. The ceremonies, on a tape-delayed basis, will air at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, on NBC (they are available live at 3 a.m. that day at NBCOlympics.com).