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With John Tavares second period knee injury against the Latvians Wednesday, he wasnt just lost for the rest of the Olympics, but also the rest of the NHL season. The blow for the New York Islanders was softened a little by the fact their season is already all but over, sitting 12 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 22-30-8 record. But imagine if the Islanders were in playoff contention, losing one of the best players in the league. Islanders general manager Garth Snow was none too happy about losing his superstar centre at an international competition. Speaking to Newsday on Thursday, Snow chastised the IIHF and IOC for wanting all the benefits of NHLers for nothing in return and even suggesting the organizations reimburse Islanders season ticket holders. Tavares injury, and Snows subsequent reaction – a sentiment likely shared by GMs around the NHL – may be enough for the league to halt their participation in the Olympics. In light of this and other injuries suffered in Sochi, is it time for the NHL to stop sending their players to the Winter Olympics? The 23-year-old Canadians season isnt the only casualty of the Winter Games, as the Florida Panthers have lost promising rookie Alexander Barkov to a knee injury playing for Finland, and veteran forward Thomas Kopecky to a concussion playing for Slovakia. And while Pavel Datsyuk played in every Russian game at the Olympics, an argument could be made that were it not for the Olympics in his home country, the 35-year-old would be resting his troublesome knee ahead of the Detroit Red Wings playoff push. The solution could come in the reincarnation of the World Cup of Hockey, to be played in late summer before the NHL season begins. While injuries would be as unavoidable then as they are now in the Olympics, players would be coming in fresher and would have more time to heal before training camps open in the fall. Theres nothing quite as momentous as playing for your country in the Olympics, as Steven Stamkos showed doing everything he could to get healthy in time for this years tournament, but a World Cup could be a compromise that keeps every party involved relatively happy. And for hockey nuts worried about the void if the NHL pulls out of the Olympics, ideas such as making the World Juniors, an increasingly popular tournament around the world, an Olympic event every fourth year may be enough to appease them. Should the NHL stop sending their players to the Winter Olympics? Youve heard what weve had to say, now its your turn. As always, its Your! Call. Cheap Air Max Wholesale .com) - Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will sit out Thursdays game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with left knee soreness. Cheap Wholesale Air Max . The Durban-based Sharks withstood a furious second-half fightback to beat the Queensland Reds 35-20 for a fourth straight win which gave them a five-point lead atop the championship table. The Hamilton-based Chiefs scored two late tries to beat the Cape Town-based Stormers 36-20 for their third win, after the Stormers rallied from 24-6 down to 24-20 with six minutes remaining. http://www.wholesaleairmax.net/. Therrien would not confirm his lineup for the game, but he did have the same line combinations practicing together for the third straight day which is usually a pretty good indication of what the lineup will be. Cheap Air Max China Free Shipping . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. Wholesale Air Max . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much.Lakeland, FL - Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer has declined a long-term contract offer from the club. Scherzer avoided arbitration in January, agreeing to a one-year deal that is reportedly worth $15.25 million. The Cy Young winner can become a free agent after the 2014 season. Talks with agent Scott Boras for a long-term deal continued through the spring, but were unsuccessful and the Tigers said Sunday that further discussions would not take place during the season. "The Detroit Tigers have made a substantial, long-term contract extension offer to Max Scherzer that would have placed him among the highest paid pitchers in baseball, and the offer was rejected," the Tigers said in a statement. Scherzer was 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 32 starts with the Tigers last year. He became the second Tiger in three years to capture the Cy Young, following 2011 winner Justin Verlander, who agreed to a five-year extension with a vesting option for 2020 last spring. "As we have reiterated, it has beeen the organizations intent to extend Maxs contract and keep him in a Tigers uniform well beyond the 2014 season," the Tigers statement continued.dddddddddddd "While this offer would have accomplished that, the ballclubs focus remains on the start of the upcoming season, and competing for a world championship. Moving forward there will be no further in-season negotiation and the organization will refrain from commenting on this matter." Scherzer will be entering his fifth year with the Tigers, who acquired him from Arizona as part of a three-team deal that sent Curtis Granderson to the New York Yankees before the 2010 season. The 29-year-old right-hander has been a double-digit winner in each of his four seasons with Detroit and has a record of 64-30 with a 3.62 ERA in 128 starts as a Tiger. He was 9-15 with a 3.86 ERA in two years for Arizona. Overall, Scherzer owns a career mark of 73-45 with a 3.67 ERA and has 1,069 strikeouts in 1,019 innings in 174 games, all but nine of which have been starts. ' ' '