The NHL ice hockey stars will finally be able to participate in the Olympic Winter Games next February. The leadership of the North American professional league agreed on this with the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF on Wednesday.
The NHL ice hockey players were not allowed to participate in the past two Winter Games by their professional league, partly due to a financial dispute. The last time the ice hockey players participated in the Games was in 2014.
“This is a fantastic day for international ice hockey and its fans around the world,” said IIHF President Luc Tardif. “Bringing the world’s best players back to the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina is a major step forward for our sport.”
Of the twelve participating countries in the Games, six have already announced their provisional ice hockey team. These include all stars from the NHL, such as the American brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk.
The agreement also applies to the 2030 Winter Games, which will take place in the French Alps. The 2026 Olympic Games will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and begin on February 6.