The National Hockey League (NHL) has ruled against interrupting their domestic season meaning that, for the first time since Nagano 1998, no players from the competition are due to participate at the Olympics. 

It is still theoretically possible that they could change their mind but International Ice Hockey Federation President René Fasel has previously admitted to insidethegames it will take a "miracle" for this to happen.

Both Fasel and representatives from the International Olympic Committee have since insisted that the quality of the tournament will not be affected and that the NHL will miss out on the opportunity to have the sport and its leading names exposed to different markets.

Canada have won three of the last four Olympic ice hockey tournaments, including at Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. 

At Sochi they beat Sweden 3-0 in the final. 

According to Sportsnet, Hockey Canada's leadership has made contact with the CHL about adding players to the Olympic team.

Hockey Canada sent a prospective squad to compete in two tournaments earlier this year.

These included the Sochi Hockey Open and the Nikolai Puchkov Tournament as they bid to finalise a squad for Pyeongchang 2018, due to take place between February 9 and 25. 

The 45 players who appeared, including former NHL players like Mason Raymond and Ben Scrivens, either play in Europe or do not have a NHL deal.

Canada are due begin the defence of their Olympic men’s title against Switzerland.

The Group A clash is due to take place at the Kwandong Hockey Centre on February 15, which marking the second day of competition in the men’s tournament.

It will be held at the same time as the other Group A encounter between Czech Republic and hosts South Korea at the Gangneung Hockey Centre.