In research that has become very timely with the conclusion of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, an article published in the International Journal of Sport Finance suggests that NHL teams who have players who played in the Winter Olympics are likely to experience a drop-off in success.
The study, conducted by Neil Longley of the University of Massachusetts, is titled The Impact of International Competitions on Competitive Balance in Domestic Leagues: The Case of the National Hockey League’s Participation in the Winter Olympics.
Longley’s research was featured in an article in The New York Times (linked below), which examined just how teams who had star players in the Winter Olympics, may be affected during the remainder of the season. Interestingly, the study suggests that players representing the host country, in this case Russia, may experience the greatest decline in performance once they rejoin their NHL teams.
International Journal of Sport Finance 