After NHLers sat out the winter Olympics in South Korea four years ago, there was a lot of hype surrounding their return next month in Beijing.

But rising COVID-19 cases in the league, and the postponement of games forced the league and the players association to pull the plug on the professionals’ Olympic plans.

Postmedia national sports writer Rob Longley joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss how big a blow this is for the games, what it means for the hockey tournament, and how big a shadow Omicron is casting over these Olympics.

Background reading: Beijing Olympics organizers 'regret' NHL player pull-out

With or without NHL players, Beijing Olympics still on schedule: Pound

 

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