NHL’s CBA Allows Players to Return to Olympic Games: A Great Story

Although there seem to be more pressing matters for the NHL to contend with right now, hockey fans everywhere should be pleased about the recent decision by the NHL and the NHLPA to return to the Olympic Games after staying away during 2018. For both players and fans, there’s great excitement about representing or rooting for one’s country during the Olympics. You can see it in the parades before and after the Games. Perhaps that’s especially true about hockey.

So, when more than 80% of NHL players ratified the extension of the new CBA in early July, part of that CBA was that NHL players would be able to take part in the Beijing-based 2022 Winter Games. That’s good news for everyone. That the four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement through September 2026 also included Olympic participation both in 2022 and 2026 was a wise move and one that benefits every hockey fan everywhere.

There remain things to work out. For example, there must be successful negotiations with the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation about such things as health insurance, travel costs, and marketing rights.

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Memories of Olympics Past

Still, I’m happy. I have so many great – almost iconic – memories of where I was during several of the final games. That’s especially true about games between the United States and Canada. I remember being in the Air Canada Lounge in Vancouver cheering with strangers when Team Canada scored – although I cannot recall which Olympics that was.

It’s also great news for many of the young NHL stars who have never been to the Olympics before. I’m thinking about the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (who would represent Canada), the Toronto Maple Leafs Auston Matthews (who would represent the United States), and the Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson (who would represent Sweden). And there are others.

The NHL Players in Past Olympics

Prior to the extended CBA’s allowing NHL players to compete at the next two Winter Olympic Games (2022 in China and 2026 in Italy), NHL players had skipped the 2018 Games in South Korea. However, they had played in five straight Olympics before missing 2018.

Obviously, although there are risks to players (such as injuries), historically Olympic hockey has produced absolutely great stories. Among the best include the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid; Peter Forsberg’s leading Sweden to Gold in Lillehammer (1994); Dominik Hasek and Jaromir Jagr leading the Czech Republic to Gold in Nagano (1998); and, Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal in Vancouver (2010).

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It’s Great to Be in the Olympics Again

Obviously, as a Canadian, there’s no doubt that future Olympics hockey will bring further joys and sorrows to Team Canada. The ruling will also allow many NHL players from Canadian-based teams to represent their countries for the first time at the 2022 Olympics. That’s a benefit to hockey fans anywhere.