OLYMPIC TALK PICKING UP AMONG PLAYERS, TEAMS

TORONTO, ON — As we move closer to the New Year, activity across the National Hockey League has begun to pick up. Teams are doing their due diligence, as they do at this point in the season, and seeing what options may be available as the trade deadline draws closer.

We will continue to hear noise about Jake DeBrusk, Calvin de Haan, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ben Chiarot and others listed in our Trade Watch List until they are dealt before the March 21 trade deadline – Tarasenko probably finishes the season in St. Louis, with a move more likely to occur in the summer – but trade talk is secondary to the chatter about the status of NHL players at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

There is growing concern around the NHL over the Players’ participation in Beijing. My understanding is clubs are not comfortable with the restrictions in China, specifically related to a three-week quarantine should anyone test positive for COVID-19, which affects not only an athlete’s safety, but when that player can return to North America and resume playing.

That concern is starting to spread across the NHLPA. While there are still plenty of players who want to participate and represent their countries, there is also hesitation among others. According to multiple sources, the message being relayed to the membership is there are minimal benefits playing in the 2022 games aside from donning your nation’s sweater.

On Sunday night, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner publicly stated via Twitter that he will not suit up for Sweden, stating the environment in China, with all the restrictions, “is not ideal for my mental health.”

He will not be the only player opting out. I have been told a projected member of Team Canada’s roster has also decided to withdraw, and I suspect others across all countries will follow.

How this impacts the overall membership remains to be seen. NHL clubs are quietly (depending on who you ask) expressing their apprehension and this will be a matter of discussion during the Board of Governors meetings, which take place today and Friday.

The Players have until Jan. 10 to opt out without penalty. The conversation will certainly carry on over the next four-to-five weeks, but don’t be surprised to hear more names pulling out for a variety of personal reasons.

If the Players decide not to go to China, the NHL will move up its schedule roughly 10-14 days, as there is a three week break for the Olympics – after All-Star Weekend on Feb. 4-5, the next set of regular-season games resume on Feb. 23. The NHL has a contingency plan in place if this occurs, but it is unlikely to affect other critical dates, such as the NHL Draft and the start of Free Agency.

THE COYOTES

Soon after Katie Strang of The Athletic broke the news that the Arizona Coyotes were being threatened of being locked out of Gila River Arena if outstanding tax bills and arena charges weren’t paid to the City of Glendale by Dec. 20, the club was quick to release a statement citing “human error” and promised to remedy the situation today.

While that’s good on the Coyotes to pay their $1.3 million outstanding taxes, the city remains concerns over future bills and wants some type of certainty those charges will be paid promptly.

The NHL was made aware of the situation this week and the topic will be brought up in the BOG meetings, but I’m told the League isn’t overly concerned about the matter. To me, that means the Coyotes, or the NHL, will provide a guarantee those bills will be paid, and it is possible some sort of up-front good-faith payment on upcoming tax bills that will be owed through June 2022. But more importantly, there continues to be confidence the Coyotes aren’t leaving the state.

With the Coyotes in need of a new home for the 2022-23 season, at least, Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum may be their temporary home until their plan for a Tempa arena materialize. The proposed $1.7 billion entertainment district includes a 16,000-seat arena, hotels, apartments and retail space. Concerns were recently brought up by the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board because of the site’s proximity to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, but team and local real estate experts have attempted to ease those worries.

We’re all keeping a close eye on the situation, but confidence in the proposed arena project hasn’t waivered and if this tax issue is resolved as quickly as the Coyotes say it will, that’s a promising sign for a long-term future in Arizona.