The NHL seems set up to enjoy hockey without labor-related headaches for at least two-plus seasons. That doesn’t mean it’s a drama-free league.

A decision must be made soon about whether the world’s best hockey players will be at the Olympics in South Korea in 14 months. And there are financial issues bubbling up among the players, particularly when it comes to escrow and how they believe it has become a heavy tax on their salaries.

The collective bargaining agreement and the Olympics were tied together recently by the NHL itself. The league made an offer, asking if the Players’ Association would eliminate its opt-out option in 2019 and extend the labor pact three years through the 2024-2025 season in exchange for participating in a sixth consecutive Olympics.

The union rejected the idea. The NHL, which has been stunted by three lockouts since 1993, provided a public spin on why it would have been good for the game.

“Most importantly, it tells the world and our fans there’s nine years of labor peace after this season which we thought would be a good thing even if there were things that we might want to change,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at last week’s board of governors meeting.

NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said the league didn’t make a formal proposal, but floated it as an option.

“We took it seriously and ran it by the players and it’s not something players are interested in at the moment,” Fehr said. “Hopefully we will continue to try to resolve our issues, including the Olympics.”

The Olympic-related problems revolve around travel expenses and insurance because the International Olympic Committee does not plan to pay those bills, as it has to get NHL players to the Winter Olympics since 1998. The IOC spent about $14 million to cover travel and insurance for NHL players for the 2014 Olympics in Russia. Even if interested parties come up with enough money for travel and insurance, there’s no guarantee the league and union will agree to participate in the next Olympics in part because, according to Bettman, owners have a “negative sentiment ” about it at this point.

Bettman has said a decision would need to be made by early January at the latest, giving the league time to create a schedule for next season with or without a two-plus week break for the Olympics.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

SHARKS 4, SENATORS 3: Kevin Labanc scored the lone goal in four rounds of a shootout as San Jose won at Ottawa.

Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns and Chris Tierney scored in regulation for San Jose, and Martin Jones made 29 saves.

Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and Dion Phaneuf scored for the Senators, and Mike Condon stopped 26 shots.