IIHF is optimistic about NHL Olympic participation in 2026

Credit: Aaron_Bell

During Friday’s annual World Junior Championship press conference, IIHF president Luc Tardif told journalists that he is optimistic that the NHL, IIHF and the International Olympic Committee will agree to have NHL participation at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

This comes less than two months after NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh used the term “hopeful” about it happening and a month after Gary Bettman shared concerns that arena construction in Milan would not be finished in time.

Luc Tardif, IIHF President, is optimistic the IIHF, IOC and NHL will come to an agreement on NHL Olympic participation in 2026. “All the planets are in a good place.” IIHF/IOC will meet in mid-January and again during the NHL ASG. Should have added clarity in mid-February. pic.twitter.com/6TLIAObSPT

— Jon Rosen (@jonnyrosen) January 5, 2024

The NHL skipped both the 2018 Olympics in South Korea and the 2022 event in China. The league’s top players have not participated in the Olympics in Russia since 2014, and they haven’t had a proper best-on-best event since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

One idea thrown around as a potential stopgap included a four-team international event, likely with the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland, taking place in 2025. Beyond that, there’s still the potential for another World Cup of Hockey, but with Russia and Belarus currently banned from IIHF events, it isn’t clear what the future holds for their participation.

Olympic pre-qualification events have already taken place for 2026, with Estonia, Spain and Serbia winning their respective events. The other pre-qualification round events will be held in early February, with final Olympic qualification running from Aug. 29 until Sept. 1, 2024.

Back in November, Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli weighed in on NHL participation, believing that progress was being made.

“I think for the first time in years, almost a decade, we’re not hearing any complaint or criticism with the IIHF and the International Olympic Committee in terms of paying for things that they typically should, such as insurance, travel, a combination for players and also their families,” Seravalli said on Daily Faceoff Live. “So it seems like they’re in alignment on that front, and it kind of feels like for once, if the NHL players don’t go to the Olympics, it’s not going to be because of the NHL.