
The NHL, NHLPA and international officials on Wednesday finalized a long-ago agreed-to deal to send players to the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, the first time that NHL players will be at the Games since 2014.
The league, union, International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee negotiated the agreement and announced it initially last year. The final touches took time to figure out and opens the door for NHL participation to continue in 2030, something that had also been agreed to in February 2024.
“This is a tremendous day for international ice hockey and for fans across the globe,” said IIHF President Luc Tardif. “At the initiative of the IIHF, we have worked collaboratively with NHL and NHLPA in close collaboration with the IOC and Milano Cortina Organizing Committee to make this a reality. Bringing the best players in the world back to the Olympic Games in 2026 is a major step forward for our sport.”
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 February 11—22.
The NHL paused its season for the Olympics five times from 1998 through 2014, and most of the players now in the league grew up expecting to play on that stage. Disagreements over who would pay for insurance and travel costs, along with the time difference between South Korea and North America, were cited as factors in the NHL passing on Pyeongchang in 2018. The NHL passed on the 2022 Games in Beijing because of the pandemic.
“We are pleased to confirm that NHL players will be participating in the 2026 Olympic Games,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “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.”
Milan will be the first Olympics for a generation of stars led by Canadians Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar and Americans Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel and Adam Fox. The rosters could see the likes of McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard on the same team battling for gold.
The Olympics will also be one year after the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off involving the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland that proved to be a tremendous success in Montreal and Boston with Canada winning the championship over the United States in overtime at TD Garden.
“Best-on-best international tournaments like the Olympics provide the opportunity to create extraordinary moments for our players and fans alike,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA executive director. “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.”