According to Katie Carrera of the Washington Post, Washington Capitals' head coach Adam Oates is opposing Olympic participation by National Hockey League players at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
In a statement made on Wednesday, Oates expressed his concern if one of his players got hurt by participating in the Olympic Winter Games.
Oates' comments come despite the fact that Capitals' owner Ted Leonsis has given his star player, Alexander Ovechkin the right to play for Russia.
Oates, who played in the National Hockey League from 1985-2004, was not chosen to play for team Canada at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano or the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
A native of Weston, Ontario, Oates never participated for Canada in any World Cup, Canada Cup or World Hockey Championship either despite having 1420 career points in his Hockey Hall of Fame career.
Members from the National Hockey League, International Ice Hockey Federation, National Hockey League Players' Association and the International Olympic Committee are meeting in New York today and tomorrow to discuss NHL Olympic participation.
Earlier in the week, the pools were set for the 2014 Olympic men's hockey tournament. Russia, Slovenia, Slovakia and the United States are in pool A. Canada, Finland, Austria, and Norway are in pool B. Switzerland, Czech Republic, Sweden and Latvia are in pool C.
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