NHL Players Won’t Participate in 2022 Olympics Amid COVID-19 Surge

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association agreed to not participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics, the league announced Wednesday. 

“Since the CBA extension was reached 17 months ago, NHL players have looked forward with great anticipation to once again participating in the Winter Olympics," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said in a statement. "Until very recently, we seemed to be on a clear path to go to Beijing. COVID-19 has unfortunately intervened, forcing dozens of games to be postponed this month alone. No matter how much we wish it were not the case, we need to utilize the Olympic period to reschedule these games."

The decision comes following a wave of postponements across the NHL; 50 games have already been postponed through Dec. 23. The league announced Monday it will suspend operations from Dec. 22–25, and all cross-border matchups across the United States and Canada have been postponed. 

NHL players did not participate in the 2018 Olympics, though they were slated to play in Beijing in February 2022 as part of the league’s new collective bargaining agreement. But the current COVID-19 crisis in the league has forced a change of plans.

"With stringent health protocols once again in place, we will begin utilizing available dates during the Feb. 6-22 window (originally contemplated to accommodate Olympic participation) to reschedule games that have been, or may yet be, postponed,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

The NHL All-Star Game is still scheduled for Feb. 5. Both Fehr and Bettman said they expect NHL players to participate in the 2026 Olympics, which is also part of the latest CBA. 

Olympic rosters for countries impacted by the NHL’s decision will now be filled by other professional leagues as well as amateurs and college players. The Olympic Athletes from Russia won gold in 2018 in the last games without NHL players.