From political issues to COVID-19, it seems every day more red flags appear surrounding the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Due to these issues, the NHL should not participate in the 2022 Olympics. One option the NHL should consider as an alternate is a World Cup of Hockey tournament played on North American ice. Here are a few reasons a tournament like this would be the best option.

Potenital Boycotts of the Games

The issues with NHL players attending the Olympics go far beyond what happens on the ice. Politicians in Canada and the USA have called for boycotts of the games due to reported Human Rights Violations occurring in China. This could mean that players who play for the Canadian and United States teams would not even choose if they want to participate in the games.

There is also the possibility of players boycotting the events due to public pressure or personal belief. This week, Boston Celtics forward Enes Freedom (formally Enes Kanter) urged Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid to boycott the games. There is also the possibility that some owners may not feel sending their players over to China is the best option due to the issues surrounding Human Rights Violations in China. In short, red flags are going up every day that the NHL may look at and say it is not worth sending our players to these Olympics.