The National Hockey League’s Board of Governors...

The National Hockey League’s Board of Governors agreed to bend its waiver rules to make some players available to the American and Canadian Olympic teams for the 1988 Games in Calgary.

NHL President John Ziegler said the Canadian-based teams have been asked to submit a list of five or six players who would be available to Team Canada. But stars such as Wayne Gretzky will not be available.

Ziegler said the players chosen by the Olympic team must be ranked in the bottom half of each NHL team’s roster and that each NHL team and player must consent.

The U.S. Olympic team has the option to borrow up to two U.S. players from American-based NHL teams in the event of injuries to regular Olympic team members. But the U.S. team has not asked for any players, nor is it expected to.