McDavid calls Olympic quarantine rules “unsettling”, won't commit to going

We're less than two months away from the official opening of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China and we still don't know yet if we'll see NHL players representing their countries.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has chosen his words very meticulously lately when asked about the league's participation in the Games, leaving many to feel that he's getting ready to pull the rug out from under us all. Of course, there's serious concern amongst the players as well, given the strict COVID-19 restrictions in China. The rules are such that if anyone tests positive while competing that they'll have to quarantine in China for at least five weeks. That's a real concern for players who are already so far away from their homes. It's one thing to leave your family to represent your country in the Olympics, but it's another to sit in a Beijing hotel room for five weeks with no human interaction. 

In fact, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner has already informed Team Sweden that he'll opt out of competing due to the possibility of being placed in quarantine. For Team Canada defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, he admitted today that the potential of being quarantined is factoring into his decision to go or not.

From Pietrangelo:

“I’ve got four kids that are under the age of 3 1/2. For me to be potentially locked up there for five weeks plus the Olympics, that’s a long time being away from my family.”

Alex Pietrangelo

Honestly, I don't blame the guy. 

It's a tough decision to make, for sure. In Pietrangelo's case he's already a gold medal winner having represented Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. For veteran guys like Steven Stamkos and Nathan MacKinnon though who have never had a chance to represent Canada at the Olympics, it's a harder decision. Or what about young guys like Connor McDavid, Mathew Barzal, Brayden Point and Cale Makar who haven't played on the Olympic stage before?

McDavid himself has gone on record saying that the idea of a five week quarantine is "unsettling".

It must be a tough decision for those guys first time Olympians to mull over. Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron, Carey Price and their ilk have all 'been there and done that' before, so no one would blame them if they ultimately decided to stay home. But for these other cases... well it's a tougher decision.