National Hockey League (NHL) players will make a return to the Olympic ice at Milano Cortina 2026 in February.
The announcement was made following an agreement between NHL, NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday (2 July).
It marks an end to the 12 years hiatus of NHL players from the Olympic Games. The players last represented their countries at Sochi 2014.
This will be the sixth time NHL players will participate in the Olympics, starting with 1998 in Nagano, when Czechia won the gold medal.
In a short statement, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said: “The IOC welcomes the agreement between the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the National Hockey League (NHL), and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA). […] All the parties who were involved in coming to this agreement should be commended for this excellent result.”
“We are pleased to confirm that NHL players will be participating in the 2026 Olympic Games,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “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.”
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NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said this agreement is consistent with previous Olympic agreements the league has had with the IIHF and the IOC as it relates specifically to player living situations in the Olympic village, hotel and ticket arrangements for one guest per player, members of the NHL Board of
The men’s tournament at the 2026 Olympics runs from Feb. 11-22. Games will be played at two venues in Milan: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena and Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
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Daly said each national association for the 12 teams in the tournament is required to submit a list of 42 skaters and five goalies by October 15. Players on those lists will be subject to Olympic drug testing rules and regulations.
Final preliminary rosters of 22 skaters and three goalies must be submitted by December 31, but Daly said there will be changes allowed between then and the start of the tournament on February 11 if they are required because of injuries.
