MONTREAL (AP) — The World Cup of Hockey is returning in 2028, setting the stage for the sport to get on a routine of international competitions with the world's best players every other year.
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association unveiled plans Tuesday to host a tournament officials hope to stage in February at roughly the same timeframe as the Olympics. They already have an agreement to go to the Games in Milan in 2026 and the French Alps in 2030.
“We couldn’t be more excited about making a reality Olympics, World Cups, Olympics, World Cups on a regular schedule of the best hockey players in the world representing their countries,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said just before the start of the 4 Nations Face-Off. "We know the full blown World Cup, this is simply a sampler, is going to be sensational.”
The 4 Nations tournament was pared down and pushed back from initial planning because of questions over Russia’s participation given the country’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Those questions remain about the World Cup.
“I’d love to see our Russian players paying in these tournaments again,” NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said. “They’re incredible hockey players. The issues are political, and it’s not political as far as the NHLPA. It’s the world politics we have to get through. I’m hoping that as we get closer to the Olympics, as we get closer to the World Cup, we will start seeing Russian athletes back in competition.”
Bettman said there is plenty of time left to make a determination on Russian players, noting that the International Olympic Committee must first decide about them for Milan. The World Cup of Hockey is being done by the league and union and without the International Ice Hockey Federation.
“This is our tournament with our players, and we’re cooperating with the federations, but this is an all-NHL tournament,” Bettman said. “Our anticipation is we’ll be using country by country, not melded teams, and there’ll be at least eight teams in the tournament. We have a myriad of decisions that we have to make.”
A bidding process will determine where the games take place, Bettman said, including the possibility of playing in Europe. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the Olympics provide a good model for how long the season should be interrupted to stage a World Cup.
“It's great, especially to have that certainty,” Canada captain Sidney Crosby said, expressing disappointment about NHL players not participating in the past two Olympics. “A number of times that wasn’t the case, and for certain reasons that are out of everyone’s control, for guys to have an idea and for fans to know they’re going to be able to see best on best, I think it’s it’s great for everybody.”
Walsh brushed off any concern about going to Milan falling through.
"We’re going to the Olympics," Walsh said. “The agreement’s on paper. We haven’t signed it yet. We’re still working through it. It’s a large agreement. There’s no obstacle. There’s no real big obstacle. It’s just a matter of putting pen to paper.”
Agreeing on a World Cup in the aftermath of setting the salary cap for the next three seasons is the latest sign of cooperation between the sides that are on the verge of beginning in earnest negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.
“I think we are in a good place in terms of our collective bargaining relationship, in terms of our overall relationship,” Bettman said. “I remain more than optimistic that, while we have some work to do, we’re going to get to where we’re going.”
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Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
