By James Larry
The purpose of this Comment is to discuss the participation of National Hockey League players in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and the legal issues that may arise from player participation in the Games. Currently, NHL players are allowed to participate in the Winter Olympics under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association. However, the current CBA expires in 2012 and does not govern the 2014 Olympics. The fact that at least one NHL superstar has threatened to play in the Olympics regardless of the League’s official position on the issue, while the League has indicated that it does not intend to allow player participation, shows the potential for a dispute between the League and the Players’ Association. This Comment discusses the legal considerations and issues that would govern NHL participation in the 2014 Olympics, and the details of the possible legal disputes arising out of participation in the games.