EXCLUSIVE-Federation to cover NHL costs to play at 2018 Winter Olympics - IOC

BERLIN, March 29 (Reuters) - The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has agreed to pay NHL players' travel and insurance costs to try to lure them to the 2018 Winter Olympics, Games chiefs said on Wednesday. The contribution, which could cost up to $20 million, is designed to soften the financial blow to owners frustrated at having the NHL season shut down during the Games. The gesture may not be enough to secure NHL players’ presence in South Korea's Pyeonchang, however, as club owners have other commercial demands yet to be settled. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by: Mitch Phillips)