NHL Players Returning to 2026, 2030 Olympics

NHL players will make their return to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014, after a landmark agreement between the NHL, NHLPA, IIHF, and IOC was finalized in Zurich. The deal secures player participation in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics and paves the way for involvement in the 2030 French Alps Games. This agreement is widely regarded as a significant boost for international ice hockey, promising a return to best-on-best competition. The NHL previously skipped the 2018 and 2022 Olympics due to contractual and pandemic-related issues. Anticipation has grown following the recent Four Nations Face-Off tournament, and preliminary rosters for the 12 participating nations have already been announced. Leaders from all involved organizations highlighted the positive implications for the sport's global growth.