NHL: Olympic talks delaying schedule release

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. (AP/Mary Altaffer, File)

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, is impacting the NHL’s 2013-14 regular-season schedule.

The schedule won’t be released until the agreement between the league, National Hockey League Players’ Association, International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation is completed, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Thursday in a press release.

“There has been no final agreement on the terms of Olympic participation at this point,” Daly told NHL.com. “And unless, or until, there is, the release of the 2013-14 regular-season schedule would be premature. Having said that, we hope that a final resolution on both matters can be achieved in the very near future.”

If an Olympic agreement is reached, the NHL would have to suspend the 2013-14 schedule for at least two weeks in February.

The Olympics will take place February, 7—23, 2014.

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