The current top hockey generation will finally get to do real work in the national team jersey, when the NHL players will participate in the next two Winter Olympics. In addition, the USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden will play a four-country tournament with NHL players as early as February 2025.
Commissioner of the NHL Gary Bettman confirmed the matter at his media conference in Toronto during the NHL’s all-star weekend.
Read more: Revolutionary puck news! NHL players for the Olympics – superstars in the four-nation tournament as early as 2025
Lions GM Jere Lehtinen accepted the NHL’s decision with joy.
– That was great news. Of course, there has been a little talk about this and there have been speculations, but nothing has been certain, Lehtinen tells Urheilu.
– That much I knew that there were discussions. But there was no telling when something would be decided. Yes, it came as a surprise to us yesterday that the decision came so quickly and that it was positive.
The last time the entire hockey elite got to play against each other was in the national team tournament at the 2016 World Cup. The last time NHL players were at the Olympics was in Sochi in 2014.
About current players, for example Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen have hoped to represent Finland in the tournament of the best players. Lehtinen has had time to follow the reactions of a few Finnish NHL players to the news.
– The players from other countries have also been really sweet to watch. Playing for one’s country is clearly valued, and the Olympics in particular are a special thing. It is one of those stages that few people get to play on.
Lehtinen, who played his long NHL career with the Dallas Stars, participated in four Olympics as an NHL player, and a total of five, including Lillehammer 1994.
In 2006, for example Teemu Selänten, Saku Koivun and Ville Peltonen starred by the then “golden generation” of the Lions narrowly lost to Sweden 2-3 in the final match.
According to Lehtinen, Ahon, Rantanen, Alexander Barkov and the current generation of partners is even the best ever in Finland.
– It would have been a real shame if they didn’t get to play together for Finland and at the Olympics. They are in their prime for the most part. It’s sweet that we get to fight there with the best.
According to Lehtinen, the Olympics are a special event because there are also representatives of other winter sports.
– In Kisakylä, everyone breathes the same air. All the country’s athletes are together and cheer each other on, you don’t get that in any other tournament. I believe that we have all watched the Olympics when we were little and dreamed, if we played sports, that one day we could get there.
Pennanen is still focusing on the SM league
The future head coach of the Lions Antti Pennanen said that he was happy with the participation of the NHL players.
– I heard about this for the first time when you just said about it. Excellent news, of course, Pennanen told STT on Friday.
Pennanen will concentrate fully on Ilves until spring. Of course, the future A national team match has already been in mind.
– I’ve watched NHL games when I’ve had enough time. Now viewing them will definitely increase, Pennanen said.
The puck tournament of the 2026 Olympics will be played in Milan from 6 to 22 February 2026.
The decision to play the four-country top tournament in February 2025 and not before the 2024–2025 season, as had been speculated until now, was also a good one.
– We will certainly have a tougher tournament in the middle of the season than what would have been before the season. Great news too, Pennanen said.
The tournament of the national teams of Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland in February 2025 will replace the NHL’s star weekend next season. The decision can be considered a surprise, the star weekend has always been an important marketing event for the NHL.
Now, however, the NHL decided to organize an “interim tournament” towards the international hockey calendar, where NHL players would participate in national team trials every two years – every four years at the Olympics and every four years at the World Cup or a similar tournament.
Jukka Jalonen is also happy
The iconic Leijona player who ended his national team career after the spring 2023 World Cup Marko Anttila celebrated the victory of his current team Kärppie over Ilves on Friday, when at the same time big puck news came from the NHL.
Is the NHL’s decision to change the opinion of the national team about quitting?
– It may be that I will still play next season, there is no contract. But even if I play, yes, the A national team is the responsibility of the younger men for sure, Anttila smiled.
The current head coach of the national team also commented on the match for MTV Jukka Jalonen was naturally pleased with the decision.
– After all, this decision has been awaited for ten years. It’s a great thing and also the fact that the top tournament of the four countries will be played in February 2025. The players are in the middle of the season at their best, Jalonen said.
Aho: “We can have a really tough team”
Sebastian Aho, the star forward of the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team, was clearly excited that the NHL players will be able to participate in the next Olympics. Aho was clearly excited about the topic in an interview with Urheilu after the NHL all-star game.
– This was great news. Our generation has passed all tournaments and events. I remember well when I was little watching the Olympics. It has always been my dream to play in the Olympics. Now this is at least one step closer, Aho said.
As the only Finn to participate in the NHL star match weekend, Aho has not yet had time to talk to other Finns about the Olympics or next year’s four-country tournament.
– We can have a really tough team. We have a lot of players who play big roles in the NHL. Best of all, almost everyone knows each other. Surely we will get an interesting team, Aho thought.
Aho couldn’t name which two forwards he would like to play with on the same field in the Olympic Games.
– We have so many good players – there is Aleksander Barkov, Patrick LaineMikko Rantanen and Teuvo Teräväinen. There are so many options it’s hard to say. Maybe it’s up to the coach to decide.
Along with the Olympics, Aho considers the four-nation tournament between the USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland to be played in February next year, which will replace the NHL’s star weekend next year, a good thing.
– This was advertised to us as an appetizer (before the Olympic Games). It’s sure to be a cool event.