What the NHL risks by sending players to Milan Cortina Winter Games

For the first time in 12 years, the NHL is sending its athletes to compete in the Winter Olympics. But is the injury risk worth it?

Instead of the All-Star break this season, the NHL will close from Feb. 6-24 to allow roughly 20 percent of its rostered players to play at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. The league will resume play Feb. 25.

And, no, that’s not a typo. 146 of the NHL’s 736 rostered players are scheduled to play for their respective countries in the Olympics.

Twelve teams are in the men's tournament, with 11 of them having at least one NHL player. Host Italy is the only country in the men's tournament that doesn’t have an NHL player on its roster.

Among the NHL stars in the tournament are Edmonton forward Connor McDavid and Pittsburgh forward Sidney Crosby (Canada), Toronto forward Auston Matthews (United States) and Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl (Germany).

Some of the best teams in the NHL have the most players at the Olympics:

• The Tampa Bay Lightning, who are first in the Eastern Conference, have 10 players in the Olympics.
• The Colorado Avalanche, who are first in the Western Conference, have eight players.
• The Minnesota Wild, second in the Western Conference, are sending nine players. 

But the question no one seems to be asking — or wants to talk about — is how the players who stay home, along with fans and management, will react if one of their team’s stars gets injured in the Olympics.

It can happen. It does happen.

Think back to the World Baseball Classic in 2023, a similar type of event in which professional athletes from Major League Baseball play for pride and represent their home country. In that event, the New York Mets lost ace closer Edwin Díaz for the season because of a knee injury. It derailed their entire season, and it could be argued that it started the entire rebuild of the franchise.

All-Star outfielder Jose Altuve suffered a fractured thumb in that same tournament and missed a significant playing time for the Houston Astros. 

The hockey world was mesmerized by the 4 Nations Tournament last year, which the NHL would argue brought more eyes to the sport.

But that also carries risk.

Winger Matthew Tkachuk suffered a lower-body injury during that tournament and missed 25 games for the Florida Panthers. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy suffered a  shoulder injury during that tournament and also missed the final 25 games of the season for the Boston Bruins.

The Olympics are great. The 4 Nations Tournament is great. But the NHL is taking a huge risk for a league that is already desperate for every eye possible.

In the long run, in the quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup, is it worth the risk?

Known for their toughness, hockey players seem to be saying yes.