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NHL players will be permitted to play in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games after a deal was reached Wednesday.
The NHL, NHLPA, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee confirmed NHL players will be allowed, which was negotiated initially last year.
This confirmation will now allow NHL players to participate for their countries in the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
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Brandon Hagel of Team Canada reacts after a fight with Matthew Tkachuk of the United States (not in photo) during the first period of a 4 Nations Face-Off game at Bell Centre Feb. 15, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec. (Andrea Cardin/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
“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,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
Marty Walsh, the executive director of the NHLPA, added, “Best-on-best international tournaments like the Olympics provide the opportunity to create extraordinary moments for our players and fans alike. 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.”
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Some may have had doubts about a deal going through because it took so long to put pen to paper.
But this deal will also allow NHL player participation in the 2030 Games in the French Alps.
Canada’s Brandon Hagel, left, fights the United States’ Matthew Tkachuk during the first period of a 4 Nations Face-Off game in Montreal Feb. 15, 2025. (Graham Hughes//The Canadian Press via AP)
The 2026 men’s hockey tournament will begin Feb. 11 and run through Feb. 22.
Hockey fans got a taste of what’s to come in Milano Cortina during the 4 Nations Face-Off, which featured NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.
There was particular tension between Canada and the U.S., fueled in part by President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s rift off the ice. Fans booed during the countries’ national anthems during games. On the ice, a brawl broke out in Montreal before the U.S. defeated Canada.
Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk, right, celebrates with defenseman Zach Werenski after his goal against Finland in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off game at Bell Centre Feb. 13, 2025. (David Kirouac/Imagn Images)
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However, when the 4 Nations Face-Off Final reached the TD Garden in Boston, it was Canada getting an overtime victory.
There will be 12 participating countries in next year’s hockey tournament: Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, France, Czechia, Canada, United States, Latvia, Germany and Denmark.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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