The NHL is on a positive streak after several setbacks this year. Just recently the league resumed the 2019–20 season which had been on pause due to the worldwide health situation. The restart, so far, has been a success — safe, smooth, and admirable in both its vision and audacity. But even before that, the NHL had already made positive sports headlines, as it confirmed its players’ participation in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, to be held in Beijing and Milan-Cortina, respectively. 
NHL players, of course, were notably absent in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, as the majority of the league’s clubs “adamantly” opposed any disruption to the 2017–18 season. Nevertheless, the NHL still called on the IOC, the IIHF, and the NHLPA for a dialogue on the league’s initial decision. No meaningful talks materialized, leading to the NHL proceeding as planned. They pushed through with their season, and missed the action in South Korea in the process — even in light of the IOC’s threat that the NHL’s participation in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will depend on their participation in PyeongChang.
A couple years later and this threat has been rescinded. The NHL, the IOC, and the IIHF have reached an agreement that will see players from the world’s most famous hockey league participating in the next two Winter Olympics. The agreement will take effect with the 2022 edition in China.
Naturally, players all around the league welcomed the NHL’s return to the 2022 Winter Olympics. “Everybody wants to represent their country, everybody wants to play in the Olympics,” said Vancouver Canucks forward Bo Horvat. “I think that’s a big thing that we wanted, not only for ourselves to represent our country, but to grow the game. I think this is great to negotiate that and be able to play in the Olympics coming up. It’s great for hockey, it’s great for the fans, and it’s great for us as players to represent our countries, so we’re excited about it.”
With the agreement in place, both the US and Canada will be considered the top contenders to win gold and silver. With the NHL’s players banned from attending the 2018 games, both countries had to put out weakened teams which led to the Russians taking gold. Now NHL players can start looking forward to playing in one of ice hockey’s premier events and win arguably the most prized medal in all of sports: an Olympic medal. The medals are highly prized, with Gala Bingo noting how Olympic medals are customized for individual games, with the accolades from Beijing 2008 featuring jade. The 2022 medals for the winter games in Beijing will have similar motifs that represent the country, and those who win them will have one the most sought after honors in not just ice hockey but all of sports.
Indeed, there is a palpable excitement to the NHL’s return to the Winter Games with players from the NHL looking to get picked for their country as they compete in this season.
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