The NHL announced Monday that it will not be sending its players to the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
It will be the first time the NHL has not participated in the Winter Olympics since 1994.
READ MORE: NHL won’t participate in 2018 Olympics; League says matter ‘officially close ’
The NHL released a statement which essentially blamed its Players’ Association: “The NHLPA has now publicly confirmed that it has no interest or intention of engaging in any discussion that might make Olympic participation more attractive to the clubs.”
While the NHLPA has yet to respond, one player has already expressed his disappointment with the announcement.
Brandon Prust, who spent time with the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadians and Vancouver Canucks among others, called out NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Twitter.
Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, expressed her support for Hockey Canada after the decision was announced.
Conservative leadership candidate Lisa Raitt posted an angry response to Qualtrough’s tweet.
Fans on Twitter overwhelmingly gave the announcement a thumb’s down as well.
One writer did manage to find the positive in Monday’s announcement: