International

USA Hockey turned down potential USA/Canada rematch after the 2014 Olympics

USA Hockey with a big swing and a miss on a potential rematch between Team Canada and Team USA after the Sochi Olympics

As if USA Hockey need ANOTHER PR hit, they took a big one on Monday.

Brianne McLaughlin, former USA national team player and Isobel Cup MVP, recently went on a podcast called The Garden Faithful to talk about the Beauts Isobel Cup win as well as the US women’s national team boycott of IIHF Women’s World Championships.

During the latter half of the podcast (for those who want to listen, it’s around the 26:30 mark), the conversation turns to marketing the women on the national team and how easy it should be to market a team that has medaled in every Olympic game and topped the TV ratings during Sochi.

Who Do You Pay For: USA Hockey and the Undervaluing of Women Athletes

McLaughlin then told this story about a potential rematch game between Team USA and Team Canada after the gold-medal game in Sochi.

In the second half of the podcast, McLaughlin tells a story from the 2014 Olympics about a potential Canada/USA rematch game and just... pic.twitter.com/b9MmZIi9dG
— Hannah Bevis (@Hannah_Bevis1) March 27, 2017

*throws computer out window*

Though a lot of the conversation about the boycott has become about salaries and pay, the national team members have stressed that marketing is one of the main focuses of their negotiations with USAH. The fact that USA Hockey, without consulting players, would willingly turn down a gold-medal rematch game on TV is absolutely absurd.

Hilary Knight responds to stalled negotiations with USA Hockey

It only reinforces that this boycott is long overdue.