In April 2014 René Fasel indicated that the Koreans would need a ranking of 18th or better[9] but in September of the same year the policy was apparently changed to guarantee the host a position.
[12] Even though the IOC had paid to insure NHL players for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, at a cost of $14 million, the commission was unwilling to do so for Pyeongchang, due to concerns that this would set a precedent and other professional sports bodies might expect similar treatment.
He noted that the NHL does not directly profit from their presence in the Olympics and that the IOC's ambush marketing rules make it difficult for the league to capitalize on its players' participation, adding that "in fact, we kind of disappear for two weeks because historically the IOC hasn't even let us join in promoting our participation in the Olympics".
The league was required to accommodate an extended midseason break anyway because of its all-star game and league-wide bye week; to prevent players from defying the ban, the NHL scheduled the all-star game (which it traditionally does not contest in Olympic years) and league-wide bye in January.
CBC Sports reported that AHL players under two-way contracts with NHL affiliates would still be prohibited from attending, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly initially denied the claim.
[15][16] Two weeks later, Daly reversed his position and confirmed that AHL players on two-way contracts would in fact be prohibited from the Olympics.
In July, American television company NBC Sports announced that it would not air any NHL games during the Winter Olympics on any of its national networks.
[22] Conversely, Finland-based SM-liiga did not accommodate a break, but allowed its top players to leave the clubs and participate in the Olympic Games.
South Korea gained direct entry by being host and all other teams competed to qualify for the remaining two spots.
The top four teams with the highest attendance for the men's tournament were, respectively, Korea, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the United States.