Bettman slams NHLPA over World Cup plans

When the NHL announced it was  NOT going to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the NHL doubled down on its own league branded World Cup as the solution to international, best on best hockey moving forward. But after reviving the tournament in 2016, it appears to now be on life support… and appears we can’t blame NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for this one.

Check out this quote from Bettman regarding a potential World Cup in 2020:

Gary Bettman: "For the last year and a half, two years, we’ve been anxious to anchor plans for a World Cup but for whatever reason the players’ association hasn’t been prepared to do that.”

If that’s not a shot across the bow, I don’t know what is. It’s also worth noting that the NHL and NHLPA have no collective bargaining agreement in place past 2020, potentially setting up another work stoppage or lockout for the 2020-21 season. While we're fine passing on another World Cup... this league better not be headed for yet ANOTHER work stoppage.