NHL chief rules out ice hockey Olympic deal

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman has ruled out any chance of a deal to suspend competition during the 2018 Winter Olympics, insisting that the door had closed on the issue.

Bettman, speaking ahead of Monday's Stanley Cup Final series opener, rejected recent suggestions by the head of the International Ice Hockey Federation that a deal to release players could be reached.

"I know that there have been a variety of comments either from Rene Fasel of the International Ice Hockey Federation or from representatives of the players? association suggesting that this is still an open issue," Bettman said.

"It is not and has not been. I hope that was definitive enough."

The NHL has already awarded next year's all-star game to Tampa plans to issue the 2017-2018 league schedule in June.

The league announced last month that it would not suspend its season to accommodate the Olympics in February, effectively ruling out the league's top international stars from participating at the games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The decision has infuriated the International Olympic Committee as well as the NHL Players Association. Several top players have vowed to play in the Olympics irrespective of the NHL stance.

Bettman defended the NHL's position in his comments on Monday, insisting that the league was not against the Olympics.

"We're not anti-Olympics, we're anti-disruption to the season," said Bettman.

"And I don't believe there's any appetite to continue participation. Having said that, we said 'listen, if there's something you want to tell us that might change the equation, that might interest the teams, we'll listen," he said. "We weren't negotiating. We never negotiate."