Can NHL players play in the Olympics? Eligibility criteria explored

Earlier this year, the NHL reached an agreement with the International Ice Hockey Federation to allow players to participate in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, NBC Sports reported.

The NHL allowed its players to participate in the Olympics from 1998 to 2014. However, issues regarding logistical and financial matters prevented pro players from participating in the 2018 edition.

In particular, issues related to insurance coverage, travel costs, marketing and the risk of player injuries led the league to bar players from participating in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Despite pressure from players to participate, the league declined.

Then, professional players were not allowed to take part in the 2022 Beijing Games due to concerns over COVID-19, including restrictions and sanctions if players tested positive for the disease. Nevertheless, the league and the NHLPA agreed in principle to allow players take part in the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina.

The league agreed with the IIHF that the latter would cover travel expenses and insurance coverages for players participating in the Olympics. Furthermore, the agreement will also allow professionals to participate in the 2030 Games, Bleacher Report says.

League commissioner Gary Bettman announced that NHLers would take part in the Olympics in 2026 and 2030:

"NHL players take great pride in representing their countries."

Countries have already begun preparations for the Olympic tournament, but no official announcements have been made regarding management, coaching staff or player rosters.

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NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, a prelude to the Olympics

This upcoming season, the league decided to replace the traditional All-Star game with a special short-term tournament called the 4 Nations Faceoff. The tournament, as organized by the league and not the IIHF, features four national teams: Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland.

Each team plays each other once, with the top two teams playing the championship game. The first round will be played at the Bell Centre in Montreal from Feb. 12 to 15. The next leg of the tournament, including the Championship Game, will be played at TD Garden in Boston from Feb. 17 to 20.

The league intended to organize this tourney as an answer to the lack of NHLers’ participation in the Olympics. It has been seen as a way of allowing players to represent their native countries without the risks that come from international competition.

Something Gary Bettman made very clear was that the 4 Nations Faceoff would be played under North American rules and not IIHF regulations, as is the case with the Olympics.

Preliminary rosters have been announced, with superstars like Connor McDavid, William Nylander, Auston Matthews and Aleksander Barkov, among others, penciled in to participate. Final rosters will be announced as the upcoming season unfolds.