Islanders' John Tavares escapes surgery; GM still unhappy

“It’s a joke. They want all the benefits from NHL players in Olympics and don’t want to pay when our best player gets hurt.” - New York Islanders' GM Garth Snow

So Garth, don't hold back, how do you really feel about NHL players participating in the Olympics?

Snow let those words off the chain after being made aware that his team captain, John Tavares, had torn his MCL in a collision with Latavian defenseman Arturs Kulda in Sochi, ending both his season and, essentially, any chance the Islanders had of making a run down the stretch to steal a playoff spot.

The Islanders are a distant 12 points behind current Eastern Conference eighth seed Detroit Red Wings and had lost seven of eight games headed into the Olympic break, but that makes no difference to Snow, and he is far from the only NHL executive that dislikes players under contract playing in the games.

“It wouldn’t matter if we were 10 points up on a playoff spot or 10 points out,” Snow grumbled. “We lost our best player and he wasn’t playing for us.”

The 23-year-old Tavares took a clean hip check from Kulda in group play, his knee smashed between Kulda and the side dashers and immediately went down grasping at the injured limb, an MRI revealing a partially torn MCL and meniscus - the partial tear sparing the centerman surgery, as rest and rehabilitation indicated for full healing.

For his part, Tavares responded to Snow's criticism of the International Ice Hockey Federation and Olympic Committee in disagreement.

Tavares on Olympics: " I think it’s important for us to play... I love playing for my country and if I got the call again, I would." #Isles
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) February 25, 2014

Then qualified his statement by saying he understands why Snow is so upset:

Tavares on Snow's reaction: "You understand why teams are concerned about injuries. I know he cares a lot about the Islanders and so do I."
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) February 25, 2014

Snow also was rebuffed by the NHL Players' association, who reacted to his comments by informing him that the Islanders are covered as far as salary is concerned by the insurance coverage paid for by the International Olympic Committee, and also for all medical procedures that stem as a result of an injury during international play.

Snow's reaction?  “Are the IIHF or IOC going to reimburse our season ticket holders now?” 

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/islanders-john-tavares-escapes-surgery.html#.Uw5WXIUcq58