well, at first, you can not compare the olympic football and ice hockey, because even without NHLers its far from to be a junior tournament or so...even with only european clubs players It still has all disposition to be a great competition
Many teams will still easily send extremely competitive teams, for example Russia who will for sure win gold because if they entera team composed of CSKA Moscow and SKA St. Petersburg players would be too much even for any only NHL based players, and it could be said also for all other nations represented in the tournament. ofc I agree that the NHL players are the best and with them the value of the competition would be much more bigger, I agree that watching them playing in a best of best tournament is something each hockey fan (and trust me that me too) eagerly wait every 4 years..but this time we have to do differently. and enjoy the best sport even without the best players. Ice Hockey deserve to be a olympic sport even without their best athletes.
Also keep in mind that the NHL players WANT to play, 90% of them declared their desires to represent their home country under the five rings, their National federations and fans WANT them too. it´s all only and only about 1 person who repeatedly present his inifinite arrogance, and this time he raised his arrogance to an even higher level. unfortunately for all it´s the commisionaire (Chief) of the NHL