Everything you need to know about NHL's decision against 2018 Olympics

Elaborate bluff, or set in stone?

In a statement released Monday, the National Hockey League announced the decision to not disrupt the 2017-18 regular season in order to allow its players to participate in next February's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The decision was made after months of negotiations and amid reports of high commercial demands made by the NHL in order to market the Olympics on its various platforms, even after the IIHF agreed to cover the players' travel and insurance costs.

Here's what you need to know about the decision and what's happened since:

NHL statement

• The NHL released a statement Monday afternoon reiterating the "overwhelming majority" of its clubs are adamantly opposed to disrupting next season's schedule to accommodate participation, adding, "in an effort to create clarity among conflicting reports and erroneous speculation, this will confirm our intention to proceed with finalizing our 2017-18 regular season schedule without any break to accommodate the Olympic Winter Games. We now consider the matter officially closed."

Preemptive action

• Shortly after the announcement was made, the league reportedly directed teams not to talk to the players about the possibility of playing in the 2018 Games, and that the NHL will rule on the matter at a later date.

NHLPA response

• "The players are extraordinarily disappointed and adamantly disagree with the NHL's shortsighted decision to not continue our participation in the Olympics," the league's players union said in a statement Monday night. "Any sort of inconvenience the Olympics may cause to next season's schedule is a small price to pay compared to the opportunity to showcase our game and our greatest players on this enormous international stage."

Player reaction

Taking their cue from the PA, individual players didn't shy away from making their feelings known.

• Marc-Edouard Vlasic tweets Olympic logo after NHL says it won't go to South Korea
• Ex-NHLer Brandon Prust rips Bettman: 'Way to ruin the sport of hockey even more'
• Erik Karlsson calls Olympic decision 'crap,' won't say if he'll defy NHL and play
• Anton Stralman on NHL's Olympic decision: 'They crushed a dream'
• Braden Holtby won't play in Olympics without NHL involvement
• Alex Ovechkin: 'I'm still going' to 2018 Olympics
• Jonathan Toews: Olympic decision shows NHL headed in direction of lockout

And it didn't stop there, as various players around the league continued to blast the NHL for the 'disappointing' Olympic decision.

What now?

Host of questions remain

• "The NHL insisted Monday that the matter is 'officially closed' as it slammed the door on the Olympics for the first time since 1994. But a host of questions remain, from how national teams will fill their rosters to just how the league will deal with players like Ovechkin who plan to go anyway. Most players know nothing of the days when the NHL wasn't part of the Games, so the news that they won't get that chance in Pyeongchang didn't sit well at rinks around North America."

Glimmer of hope?

• The International Ice Hockey Federation has said it is continuing to search for a solution to allow for NHL players to participate in Pyeongchang, but "team owners likely now need a 'game-changer' offer on the table."

Canada, U.S. preparing for 'Plan B' without NHLers

• Without being able to choose from the best of the best, it's time to dig deep in order to field the most competitive rosters possible.

Projecting Canada's 2018 Pyeongchang roster

• A look at who could play for Canada if NHL players don't make the trip. Make sure to have Hockeydb handy for this list.

All things considered, this matter is far from officially closed.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)