NHL in Talks of Going International

The NHL announced today that along with the NHL Players Association to create an international competition to be held in February 2025. It will begin with a regular rotation of Olympic participation and a World Cup of Hockey. According to NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, who is at the European Player Media Tour in Stockholm. Furthermore, there will be a regular rotation of Olympic participation and a World Cup of Hockey in the even years.

NHL in Talks of Going International

The NHL last participated in the Olympic competition in Sochi, Russia in 2014. The NHL did not take part in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics or the 2022 Beijing Olympics. It will hold the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’ Ampezzo, Italy.

Daly goes on to say, ” So if we do a ’25 international tournament, we do ’26 Olympics, the ’28 World Cup of Hockey, the ’30 Olympics, the ’32 World Cup of Hockey, that’s the goal”. He also says, “The 2025 tournament does not follow the same format of a World Cup of Hockey. Daly says there have been no shortage of ideas being discussed. “I don’t know exactly what form it will take, the goal is to make it an international competition. It’s going to be heavily NHL-centric in terms of players’ use, maybe the entirely NHL. We’ll see what form it takes, that’s something we’re working on with the Players’ Association.

What Hurdles the League May Face

A huge hurdle in the way of planning for the 2025 World Cup of Hockey is the uncertainty in the participation of Russian players.

Because of the ongoing war in the Ukraine.

The International Ice Hockey Federation has banned Russia and Belarus from its events since the war began last year.

The International Olympic Committee has already banned Russia and Belarus from the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, athletes with Russian and Belarussian passports may still be allowed to participate without the backing of their countries. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly continues to say, “The NHL and NHLPA will continue to monitor the pending decision on the potential participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus in the 2024 Games.

“We had a fairly recent meeting with IIHF and the IOC in which we talked about Olympic participation for the NHL in 2026 as part of what the World Cup of Hockey would look like on a regular basis”. We continue to look at the short-term political realities, want kind of role can Russia and Ukraine play in both an international tournament that may sponsor or in the in the Olympic games. That continues to be unknown that we’re all trying to navigate around and through and that certain affects the World Cup Property.”

The NHL last participated in a World Cup of Hockey in 2016.