So, what if the NHL walks away from the Olympics for the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea?
USA Hockey and Hockey Canada officials are making contingency plans, combing European rosters for players who might be able to don their nations' jerseys and throw down for gold.
You'll see some of Team Canada's thinking on display with its entry in the Spengler Cup later this month, which will mostly feature Canadians who are playing in Switzerland. Earlier this fall, GM Sean Burke took Canadians from the Kontinental Hockey League, and Swedish, German and Finnish leagues to the Deutschland Cup tournament.
The U.S. situation is a little more fluid.
Fewer Americans play in elite leagues in Europe compared to Canadians, and the U.S. doesn't take part in the Spengler Cup and only plays in the Deutschland Cup on odd-numbered years, which makes deciphering a potential roster a little more difficult.
Sources familiar with contingency plans told ESPN.com that top American college players could also factor into the discussion, but they would have to commit to remaining in college next season and be given leave to join Team USA during the Olympics.
As for American Hockey League players, commissioner Dave Andrews said it's still uncertain what kind of access Olympic nations might have to AHL players, but he suspects decisions would be made on a team-by-team basis.
That said, given the competitive nature of the NHL, it's difficult to imagine top-end AHL players being allowed to leave their teams for three weeks if parent clubs in the NHL thought they might need to call them up.
You'll see that we included Mason Raymond and Mike Richards on our Canadian roster, but a year from now is it possible that Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla might be playing in their final NHL seasons, could stay in shape and could form a leadership core of a Canadian team? The same thing could occur for potential Team USA captain Brian Gionta and two-time Olympian goalie Ryan Miller.
For fun, let's see what non-NHL rosters would look like for Canada and the U.S. as of today. For argument's sake, we have not included active AHL or NHL players.
Team USA
Goalies
Ryan Zapolski, 30, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Helsinki of the KHL.
Cal Petersen, 22, drafted 129th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. Plays for Notre Dame.
Kyle Hayton, 22, undrafted. Plays for St. Lawrence University.
Defense
Matt Gilroy, 32, undrafted. Former Hobey Baker Award winner played in 225 NHL games. Plays for Moscow Spartak of the KHL.
Sam Lofquist, 26, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL.
Mike Brennan, 30, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Vaasa in Finnish Elite League.
Cade Fairchild, 27, drafted 96th overall by St. Louis Blues in 2007. Played in five games with the Blues. Plays for Rogle of the Swedish League.
Brian Connelly, 30, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Dornbirn of the Austrian League.
Tucker Poolman, 23, drafted 127th by the Winnipeg Jets in 2013. Plays for the University of North Dakota.
Forward
Ryan Stoa, 29, drafted 34th overall by Colorado Avalanche in 2005. Played in 40 NHL games. Plays for Moscow Spartak of the KHL.
Chad Rau, 29, drafted 228th overall by Toronto Maple Leafs in 2005 draft. Played in nine NHL games. Having impressive first KHL season with Kunlun Red Star.
Broc Little, 28, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Linkopings of the Sweden League.
Tim Stapleton, 34, undrafted. Played 118 NHL games. Plays for Moscow Spartak of the KHL.
Bobby Butler, 29, undrafted. Played 130 NHL games. Plays for Zagreb of the KHL.
Casey Wellman, 29, undrafted. Played 54 NHL games. Plays for Frolunda of the Swedish League.
Drew LeBlanc, 27, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Augsburg of the German Elite League.
Travis Turnbull, 30, undrafted, Played three games for the Buffalo Sabres. Son of retired NHLer Perry Turnbull. Plays for Cologne of the German Elite League.
Jack Connolly, 27, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Rogle of the Swedish League.
Colin White, 19, drafted 21st overall by Ottawa Senators in 2015. Plays for Boston College.
Clayton Keller, 18, drafted 7th overall by Arizona Coyotes in 2016. Plays for Boston University.
Luke Kunin, 19, drafted 15th overall in 2016 by Minnesota Wild. Plays for the University of Wisconsin.
Anders Bjork, 20, drafted 146th overall by Boston Bruins in 2014. Plays for Notre Dame.
Brock Boeser, 19, drafted 23rd overall in 2015 by Vancouver Canucks. Plays for the University of North Dakota.
Team Canada
Goaltenders
Ben Scrivens, 30, undrafted. Played 144 NHL games. Playing for Minsk in the KHL.
Danny Taylor, 30, drafted 221st overall by Los Angeles Kings in 2004. Played in 2 NHL games. Playing for Novosibirsk of the KHL.
Barry Brust, 33, drafted 73rd overall by Minnesota Wild in 2002. Played in 11 NHL games. Playing for Bratislava of the KHL.
Defense
Chris Lee, 36, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Having a standout season for Magnitogorsk of the KHL.
Marc-Andre Gragnani, 29, drafted 87th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2005, played in 78 NHL games. Plays for Minsk of the KHL.
Kevin Dallman, 35, undrafted. Played 154 games with Boston, St. Louis and Los Angeles. Plays for Astana in the KHL.
Chay Genoway, 29, undrafted. Played 1 game with Minnesota. Playing for Helsinki of the KHL.
Marc-Andre Bergeron, 36, played 490 NHL games. Played last season for Zurich of the Swiss Elite League.
Mat Robinson, 30, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Moscow Dynamo in the KHL.
Cam Barker, 30, third overall pick by Chicago Blackhawks in 2004. Played in 310 NHL games. Plays for Astana of the KHL.
Geoff Kinrade, 31, undrafted. Played in one game for Tampa. Plays for Nizhnekamsk in the KHL.
Jonathan Sigalet, 30, drafted 100th overall by Boston Bruins in 2005. Played in one game for the Bruins. Plays for Frolunda in the Swedish League.
Forwards
Mike Richards, 31, drafted 24th overall by Philadelphia Flyers in 2003. Played 749 NHL games and won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings, in 2012 and 2014. Last played with Washington Capitals, in 2016.
Mason Raymond, 31, drafted 51st overall by Vancouver Canucks in 2005. Played in 546 NHL games including a trip to the 2011 Stanley Cup finals with Vancouver. Started season with the Anaheim Ducks but is no longer on the active roster.
Derek Roy, 33, drafted 32nd overall by Buffalo in 2001. Played in 739 NHL games. Plays for Chelyabinsk of the KHL.
Matt Ellison, 32, drafted 128th overall by Chicago in 2002. Played in 43 NHL games. Plays for Minsk of the KHL.
Andrew Ebbett, 33, undrafted, played in 224 games with Anaheim, Chicago, Minnesota, Phoenix, Vancouver and Pittsburgh. Plays for Bern of the Swiss Elite League.
Max Talbot, 32, drafted 234th overall in 2002 by Pittsburgh Penguins. Played 704 NHL games and scored Stanley Cup-clinching goal for Penguins in Game 7 of 2009 Stanley Cup finals. Plays for Yaroslavl of the KHL.
Gilbert Brule, 29, drafted sixth overall by Columbus Blue Jackets in 2005. Played in 299 NHL games. Plays for Nizhnekamsk in the KHL.
Rob Klinkhammer, 30, undrafted, played 193 games for Chicago, Ottawa, Phoenix/Arizona, Pittsburgh, Edmonton. Plays for Minsk of the KHL.
Daniel Paille, 30, drafted 20th overall in 2002 by the Buffalo Sabres. Played 582 NHL games and won a Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011. Plays for Brynas of the Swedish League.
Alexandre Lavoie, 24, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Bofors in Sweden's second-tier league.
Dominic Forget, 35, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Chaux-de-Fonds in the Swiss B league.
Brent Kelly, 35, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Langenthal in the Swiss B league.
Dion Knelsen, 27, undrafted, never played in the NHL. Plays for Rapperswil-Jona in the Swiss B league.