ZURICH — The NHL, NHLPA and international officials on Wednesday finalized a deal agreed on long ago to send players to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The league, union, International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee confirmed the participation of NHL players at the Olympic Games for the first time since 2014. The groups negotiated the agreement and announced it initially last year.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is thrilled to have his league’s players back on the world’s premier international stage.
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“Olympic participation will showcase the skill and talent of NHL players on an international stage. We are proud to collaborate with the IIHF, NHLPA, and IOC to bring the best hockey players in the world to the Olympics and make this happen in a way that benefits the game globally,” Bettman said in a statement.
“Best-on-best international tournaments like the Olympics provide the opportunity to create extraordinary moments for our players and fans alike,” added Marty Walsh, executive director of the NHL Players’ Association, in a statement. “The return to the Olympics marks a monumental moment for hockey and we thank our partners — the NHL, IOC and IIHF — for this collaborative process. The skill and passion on display in Milano Cortina will build off the excitement of the 4 Nations Face-Off and continue our game’s global growth.”
IIHF president Luc Tardif called it “a major step forward for our sport.”
The final touches took time to figure out after officials insisted for months they were not concerned about the lack of a signed document. The deal opens the door for NHL participation to continue in 2030, something that had also been agreed to in February 2024.
Last month, the 12 participating countries unveiled the first six players on their Olympic rosters. The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Games is scheduled to run from Feb. 11 to 22.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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