No surprise, NHL players disappointed to miss 2022 Winter Olympics

With COVID-19 cases swelling and potentially harsh quarantine measures hovering, the NHL and NHLPA made it official: NHL players will not participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

For some, there might be a measure of relief. If they were already worried about making the call, the NHL and NHLPA instead made it for them. Right or wrong, there’s a drive to “fit in” in hockey culture.

But you know all of those talks about “childhood dreams?” The stuff dusted off before every Winter Classic? Those apply to NHL players dreaming of Olympic play. As much as they wanted to win a Stanley Cup, those players also dreamed of piling up gold medals.

(And, as they grew older, NHL players likely dreamed of … uh, having fun during their time at the Olympic village.)

Here are how some NHL players reacted to not going to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Kane, others lament not being able to play for U.S. Olympic team in 2022

Yes, Patrick Kane played for the U.S. in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. He never got to win the gold, though, and at 33, it’s fair if Kane wonders if he’ll get another chance.

So, Kane is disappointed, especially since he could’ve been more of a veteran presence this time around. He also seems aware of the unfortunate realities NHL players may have faced if they did participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

“[I was] definitely fortunate to play in Sochi, and Vancouver was just unbelievable. I don’t think the Olympic experience will be even close to comparable to what we had there in 2010,” Kane said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. ” … [But I] felt like I would’ve had the chance to be in a leadership role this year, so it would’ve been fun to play with a lot of younger players and some great players around the league.”

[Glimpses of what the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team might have looked like]

Back before it was clear NHL players wouldn’t go to the 2022 Winter Olympics, Canadian John Tavares pondered facing Maple Leafs teammates Auston…