Bettman: No chance of Olympic participation after All-Star announcement

Tampa Bay's gain is Pyeongchang's loss.

After revealing plans for the Lightning to host the 2018 All-Star Game and associated festivities earlier this week, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman attended a press conference Thursday in Tampa Bay, where he snuffed out any lasting hope that NHL players would participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

"No possibility," Bettman said, per Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "I think we've been about as clear on this subject as we can.

"I know there's a lot of people saying, the National Ice Hockey Federation, the IOC, even the players association, 'Oh no, this can still happen.' No it can't. We'll be here, looking forward to being here, and the Olympics should not be a concern."

The league didn't hold All-Star Games in the three past Olympic years (2014, 2010, 2006) due to already compressed schedules that allowed NHL players to travel to Sochi, Vancouver, and Turin.