NHL Players Will Not Participate in 2022 Beijing Olympics Amid Covid Outbreaks

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The NHL announced its players will not be permitted to attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing amid a global surge in Covid cases.

The decision comes after the NHL was forced to pause its season, postponing a total of 50 regular-season games this month because of Covid outbreaks ravaging their teams.

League commissioner Gary Bettman made the official announcement Wednesday morning.

“The National Hockey League respects and admires the desire of NHL Players to represent their countries and participate in a ‘best on best’ tournament. Accordingly, we have waited as long as possible to make this decision while exploring every available option to enable our Players to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games,” Bettman’s statement read.

“Unfortunately, given the profound disruption to the NHL’s regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events — 50 games already have been postponed through Dec. 23 — Olympic participation is no longer feasible. We certainly acknowledge and appreciate the efforts made by the International Olympic Committee, the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Beijing Organizing Committee to host NHL Players but current circumstances have made it impossible for us to proceed despite everyone’s best efforts. We look forward to Olympic participation in 2026.”

The league currently has a break in its season scheduled from Feb. 3 – 22, originally planned to accommodate its All-Star weekend and the Winter Olympics. While the NHL’s All-Star Weekend remains as scheduled, the rest of the more than two-week long break will be used to make up games that were postponed.

Beijing will mark the second straight Winter Games that will not feature NHL players. The NHL last participated in the 2014 Sochi Games, choosing not to permit its players to attend the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Prior to 2018, the NHL participated in five consecutive Games.