NHL players are involved in the 2026 and 2030 Olympic ice hockey. The USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden will play in the four-nation tournament as early as 2025.
There was great news from the ice hockey world, and at least in Finland, it was long overdue.
First hockey reporter for the respected Canadian sports media TSN Chris Johnston said that NHL players will be able to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Commissioner of the NHL Gary Bettman confirmed the matter at his media conference in Toronto during the NHL’s all-star weekend.
NHL players will participate in both the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics, Bettmann announced.
NHL players have not participated in the Winter Olympics since 2014. Then Canada won the Olympic gold in Sochi Sidney Crosby under. Finland took bronze.
NHL players have previously participated in the Olympics in 1998 (Nagano), 2002 (Salt Lake City), 2006 (Torino) and 2010 (Vancouver).
The last time NHL players participated in hockey’s top tournament was the 2016 World Cup. However, the tournament received criticism for, among other things, its special teams. In the final, Canada beat Team Europe.
The puck bosses were glowing
NHL players have been absent from the Olympics because the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF have not reached an agreement. The NHL has been reluctant to let its players into the tournament in the middle of the NHL season. In addition, the twists have concerned, for example, players’ insurance issues.
NHL players were already scheduled to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but the corona pandemic prevented the plans. There were problems with the NHL’s match schedule anyway due to the transfers caused by the coronavirus.
– For years, players have wanted the opportunity to compete for Olympic gold, and we are excited that today’s announcement makes it a certainty at the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics. We also know that hockey fans around the world have been waiting a long time for the next international competition, and now they can finally see their favorite players represent their countries in the same tournament, the executive director of the players’ association NHLPA Marty Walsh glowed.
– This decision represents a turning point for hockey worldwide and marks the great return of NHL players to the Olympics. The IIHF was able to bring all relevant stakeholders to the same table to find a long-lasting and sustainable consensus, which is the backbone of what we intend to do as sports organizations, painted the IIHF President Luc Tardif.
The tournament already in 2025
The NHL and NHLPA also confirmed that there will be an NHL 4 Nations Face-Off event in February 2025. Canadian, American, Finnish and Swedish teams made up of NHL players play in the international tournament.
The tournament will be played in two cities – Canada and the United States – and will replace the All-Star Weekend in the 2024-25 season.
The tournament consists of a total of seven matches in a nine-day period starting on February 12. and ending on 20.2. The tournament also includes two practice days, which are February 10 and 11.
Matches are played according to NHL rules. Each team plays three preliminary group matches. The two teams with the most points will play the final match.
Each national team chooses its own players, which means the NHL does not influence player choices.
However, players eligible for the tournament must have an NHL contract for the 2024-25 season and must be on the roster of their NHL teams on December 2, 2024.
The NHL and NHLPA set the release dates for team rosters. The first is in the summer of 2024, when the first six players from each team will be revealed.
It was already reported that the winter 2025 tournament would be a taste of the NHL’s return to the international arena.
The NHL hopes according to its announcementthat the 2025 “intermediate tournament” is the gateway to a regular international schedule for the best players, which includes the NHL’s participation in the Olympics and the World Cup alternating every two years.
– Such a tournament would be an incredible thing, even from the point of view of the spectators. I myself watched all the Olympics and World Cups when I was younger. It would be unimaginable now to be able to play games like that and see where we go among the best, star center Alexander Barkov already raved to Urheilu before.
Updated at 20:53 when the NHL confirmed the Olympic participation.
Updated at 21:13. Added information about the four-nation tournament.