Gary Bettman gives positive update regarding Olympic participation

There hasn't been a best-on-best international event in nearly seven years, with the last being the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. But that could change very soon.

While on SiriusXM radio on Monday, National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman said that in addition to discussions with the NHLPA about the next edition of the World Cup of Hockey, they intend on sending players to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Bettman added that going to Milano-Cortino 2026 is pending deals with the International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee to cover insurance and other costs.


In 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, the NHL re-worked their CBA, which included a deal to send the players to the 2022 and 2026 Olympics. They were unable to attend in 2022 due to COVID concerns, but participation in 2026 is something that players around the NHL want desperately.


Earlier this year, the International Ice Hockey Federation says that they've set a deadline of Spring 2024 for the NHL to inform them if they will or won't send their players to the 2026 Winter Olympics. It'll be interesting to keep an eye on over the next six-to-eight months on if the NHL can strike a deal with the IOC and IIHF. Another issue to keep an eye on is Russian participation, which seems unlikely at this time due to their invasion of Ukraine.

In addition to the Olympics, the NHL and NHLPA continue to work away at details for the next edition of the World Cup of Hockey, which was originally set to be held in February 2024, but now will be played in 2025. The tournament is expected to go back to a normal format, with only nations participating and not gimmick-teams like Team Europe and Team North America.