With only eight months to go until the start of the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, ice hockey governing bodies are still yet to come to an agreement regarding the release of players for Olympic selection.
The National Hockey League (NHL), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) are negotiating terms for the players to attend Sochi 2014 as the event takes place for two weeks during the NHL.
NHL franchise owners are looking for some form of compensation for the mid-league disruption. The league’s players association is also reportedly in negotiations with the IOC regarding travel and hospitality for Games participants and their families.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said: "In terms of the Olympics, specifically, [it was] a little more complicated negotiation based on it being in Sochi and the physical location. We continue to work at it. The parties have been in close contact in recent days and we hope to get together and get it hammered out in the near future."
