High risk – high payoff. But at what cost? Maybe that’s what the NHL is going over, with all eyes on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. When Thomas Wayne asked his son, “Why do we fall, Bruce?” the doctor probably didn’t imagine the life lesson would one day lead the latter to become the Caped Crusade. But lucky for Batman, he was a lone wolf. For NHL stars, though, being out of commission isn’t a luxury they can afford.

Instead, they often need to put the team’s needs ahead of themselves. And that’s exactly why some pundits seem to think the NHL won’t have much to gain by letting players represent their respective countries at the Olympics next year. For athletes, it’s a proud moment to represent their country. But is it worth it?

NHL expert weighs in on halting the season for the grand showdown

International journalist Ren Lavoie shared his opinion on how the recently concluded 4 Nations Face-Off affected the athletes’ physical conditions. In a YouTube upload by Sportsnet from February 24, Lavoie shared his opinion on why the NHL would prefer to go on a break for a tournament like the 4 Nations instead of something like the Olympics, slated to take place in Italy next year.

“They’re happy. They made a lot of money during that tournament, which is a good thing. My concern is next year,” Lavoie said, “I understand that the players wants to go to the Olympics. But the bottom line is you need to shut down the season for two weeks, two weeks and a half. Some players are going to come back injured again and for what? What is the NHL getting in return? Like nothing!”

While for many athletes representing their nation at the Olympics is the ultimate goal in their minds, Ren also highlighted the risk it brings when they’re a part of something like the NHL.

Referring to how injuries incurred at the 4 Nations Face-Off affected many players’ return to the NHL, Lavoie stated, “I don’t like to see players going down during a tournament. I really don’t like it because at the end of the day, 10 days of really good hockey…but there is there’s the reality after that. The bubble burst and now we’re looking at what’s going on around the league right now and we’re like, ‘That was fun but what’s the impact in the long run?’”

It’s something most sports teams worry about. See soccer as an example. The World Cup comes after four years. The player gets excited to represent the nation. But once they come back injured, the head coach’s left with a grim face. All the plans derail and the same could happen with ice hockey.

Bet that wasn’t something you had thought about, huh? Truth be told, we didn’t, either. But Ren’s words hit home, especially with how many NHL stars are yet to return to their natural habitat after the international break.

A long line of injuries is making the NHL’s return shabby

There was no dearth of drama at the tournament that was projected as the replacement for the NHL All-Star game. From Team USA athletes and the country’s national anthem being booed in Montreal to the Canadians wriggling out a narrow victory in the championship game in Boston: there was something for everybody. But while the excitement was relentless, the injury news started blazing the internet.

Senators star Brady Tkachuk crashed into the goalpost during last week’s match against Sweden’s Samuel Ersson at TD Garden. The Ottawa star was also seen limping in the championship game on Thursday and didn’t play with his NHL club against the Habs the following Saturday. Brady’s brother Matthew is also yet to make his NHL return.

The Panthers star’s lower-body injury kept him off the ice for the match against Sweden and it caused him to miss a significant portion of the 4 Nations championship match against Canada. New York Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck also sustained a finger injury at the tournament and missed the match against the Sabres last weekend.

Although Coach Laviolette didn’t elaborate on the matter, he did hint that Trocheck’s injury shouldn’t keep the fans up at night.

The Boston Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy also had a pretty nasty affair. An injury at the Nations turned into an infection, making him miss the championship game. The defenseman remains out of play indefinitely, and fans can only hope the Bruins’ playoff chances don’t get squashed without McAvoy in their ranks.

So what do you think the NHL will have to get in return for making way for the Olympics next year? What makes things a fair deal for you? Tell us!