Tweet Theres no rush on the part of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to make an immediate decision on whether or not the Leagues players will participate in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russell Allen Jersey . "Theres no timetable," Bettman told NHL Live! co-hosts Deb Placey and Billy Jaffe Thursday. "The good news is this isnt a decision we have to make for a couple of years. Its a decision well make jointly with the NHL Players Association, the lines of communication between (the NHL) and the International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee. Well work our way through this like we do so many other important decisions." Bettman and IIHF President Rene Fasel got together to discuss this and other topics on two separate occasions Thursday -- in an open forum with the media in the afternoon and then again in the evening during the NHL Hour With Commissioner Gary Bettman. "Its more of a media availability; were here (in Vancouver) and the media wants to ask questions," Bettman said. "I dont have any announcements and I dont believe Rene has any announcements to make. So this will be an opportunity to respond to whatever the media has on its mind." The experience in Vancouver and how hockey is handled could go a long way to determining the NHLs future in the Olympic Games. "What happens in terms of the experience itself (in Vancouver) is something that we take into account," Bettman said. "We dont plan one Winter Classic until we finish the one that were doing -- we wait, we debrief and we see what we could do to improve it. "These Olympics are going to be terrific. I have no doubt about that," Bettman continued. "Were in Vancouver, this is hockey country. But what is really going to be a determining factor going forward is exactly what we think we need to make the (Olympic) break worth it. What can we do to make the experience better and get the joint cooperation we need, and how to deal with the logistics of it all. At 30,000 feet, looking at the Olympic experience is great, but we get the complaints regarding the schedule that we have and the injuries because of the compressed schedule." In order to work the Olympics into its 82-game regular-season schedule, the NHL shut down 17 days for the 1998 Nagano Games, 12 days for the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and 15 days for the 06 Games in Torino. This year, the League is taking a 14-day sabbatical. Once the NHL season resumes, no team has fewer than 14 games in the month of March while the Atlanta Thrashers and Nashville Predators each play a League-high 17 in 30 days. Bettman also opined when asked for his reaction on the fact fans were calling into NHL Live! to express their excitement over fewer commercial breaks during Olympic hockey games as compared to the NHLs regular season. "Thats a little hard to respond to because Im not watching the games on television," Bettman said. "But this is one of the things we dont have control over. We bring in 140-plus players and we participate in the Olympics by stopping our season for two weeks, but this is the IOCs show, the broadcasters show and the IIHFs show. There are a lot of things we dont have control over and going forward, it may be we need to be a little more involved than at least to this point weve been allowed to be." Overall, Bettman, his wife and youngest daughter, are enjoying the Olympic experience. "Its always great to be at the Olympics and when youre here for the two weeks, it almost seems like nothing else matters," he said. "We get to see tons of great hockey games and lots of people are excited about our games and about all the other events going on in Vancouver. Its a terrific city and theyre really doing it right." Ryan Callahan Jersey . Theyve sported poor boys and Bugsys, headbands and scarves, among a myriad of looks ranging from classic collegiate to boldly graphic and beyond. T.J. Ward Jersey . Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil reacts after winning the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix April 15, 2007. [Reuters]Massas third career victory, from pole position, revived the Brazilians title challenge after a troubled start to the season. Patrik Elias Stanley Cup Jersey .S. Open final. But Sharapova is not thinking about the past. The Russian teenager has already overcome one major hurdle in reaching the title match by upsetting world number one Amelie Mauresmo 6-0 4-6 6-0 in the semi-finals. Mike Richards Jersey .J. Wilson tries to pitch the Texas Rangers to a series win this afternoon when they play the rubber match of their three-game set with the Oakland Athletics at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Darren McFadden Jersey . Both teams said the invitation should come from commissioner Roger Goodell during his Super Bowl address on Friday. The Saints would lose a home game. "We are very much aware that we are being considered for this unique and exciting opportunity to represent the league internationally and look forward to the decision of the commissioner this Friday," Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said Monday.(Sports Network) - A.J. Burnett targets career-best win No. 17 this evening when the Toronto Blue Jays play the second of three games against the playoff- hopeful Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre. Burnett, who can become a free agent at seasons end, has avoided the injury bug this season and is in the midst of the best year of his career, going 16-10 with a 4.48 earned run average. The 31-year-old right-hander, though, lost for the first time in eight starts on Friday in New York despite another solid outing. He gave up just two runs and seven hits in eight innings of his teas 2-1 loss that night. Burnett is 1-1 lifetime against the Twins with a 4.26 ERA in three starts. Minnesota will counter with 26-year-old righty Nick Blackburn, who is 9-8 with a 3.75 ERA. Blackburn did not get a decision on Thursday in Oakland, as the Athletics managed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 frames of a 3-2 loss. The Twins have lost Blackburns last four starts. Blackburn, who has never faced the Jays, will have his hands full with a Toronto team that has reeled off seven straight wins in the series following Tuesdays victory. Lyle Overbays two-run homer in the sixth inning put Toronto ahead for good and the BBlue Jays went on to a 7-5 win. Cameron Wake Jersey. Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer and finished with four hits, while Alex Rios ended 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI for the Blue Jays, who have won three straight games overall. Joe Mauer collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Twins, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six games following a four-game skid. Minnesota remained tied with the White Sox atop the AL Central after Chicago lost to Cleveland on Tuesday. Trailing by one run in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Blue Jays came to bat against Minnesota reliever Boof Bonser (3-7), who was credited with the loss. Scott Rolen drew a leadoff walk before Overbay turned on a Bonser offering and drilled it over the wall in right field for a 6-5 Toronto advantage. Jesse Carlson (5-1), who tossed a perfect sixth, pitched a 1-2-3 frame in the top of the seventh in earning the win. Rios added an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth for a 7-5 Toronto advantage. Scott Downs needed only 10 pitches in the scoreless eighth and B.J. Ryan closed it out in the ninth for his 26th save of the season. Toronto swept a three-game series from the Twins back in May. ' ' '