Since 2014, NHL players have been unable to participate in the pinnacle of international hockey, the Olympics. The league had their last effort of international hockey with a World Cup in 2016, and since then, fans and players have been yearning to get back to the Olympics. Now, an insider has provided an update at the chances of getting into the 2026 Olympics.
On tonight's edition of TSN's Insider Trading, Chris Johnston reported that the host country, Italy, has yet to begin construction on the main arena for the games - and that the NHL is far from decided on its participation.
Apparently, the current plan for Olympic hockey games to take place outside the host city of Milan, to which the NHL doesn't feel comfortable with.
It's well known throughout the league that the players, and specifically the players association, has a massive desire to get back to playing in the Olympics. For now, Gary Bettman and the league can block the players' involvement, but it could become a major bargaining chip for the next collective bargaining agreement.
Fans of the game are dying to see the return of best-on-best international hockey, and the players are desperate to play in it. It's well known that younger all stars like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews have called for it's return - it seems to be just a matter of time before NHL players are back in the Olympics.
