Send The WJC Teams To The Olympics And Save Both Events

Let me start by saying I think there is a NEGATIVE ZERO chance that this actually happens. Canadian Major Junior will object. The NCAA will object. Both leagues would be playing important games relative to their playoffs/conference games. I am sure there are financial ramifications and some risk with sending the U-20s to China to play in the Olympics...

This would be incredible and the second best option to having NHL players participate. It would make people still care about the Olympics in a genuine way that did not exist in the 2018 Olympic Games that literally not one single person watched. You would get the best of the best amateurs playing on the World's biggest amateur stage the way the Olympics were always supposed to be. The kids who got this chance ripped away from them still get to represent their country. The Olympics still get a top tier competition in their flagship winter sport event. Fans get to watch a tournament they actually care about. It is a win win win as long as you don't count the NCAA and Canadian Major Junior teams. Michigan in particular would probably scream bloody murder and pressure their guys to opt out since they have a potential national championship hanging in the balance with Owen Power, Kent Johnson, Luke Hughes, Matty Berniers, and Mackie Samoskevic all on WJC rosters. Let me be the first to say…fuck Michigan. We want a good tournament at the international level. Something that NEVER happens anymore. Hasn't happened since 2014, actually. Put the stars of tomorrow on the world stage and let's find a resolution that works for everyone. The NHL wants that sweet sweet China streaming money that the NBA has. That is the only reason why they agreed to let their players go in the first place. Well, imagine a scenario where they get familiar with names like Connor Bedard, Shane Wright, and Matty Berniers because they went to a shootout in the Gold Medal game. Fans all over the world get familiar with those stars and they become household names to the point that their future wives are instagram influencers like TJ Oshie. I want it so badly. I don't even care if Putin gives Datsyuk and Kovalchuk fake names and birth certificates to get them on the Red Army Team Team Russia. Just give me a world class event in February because we are desperately going to need entertainment that month.