Gary Bettman recently shared his first impressions on the NHL players’ long-awaited return to the Olympic Games. He expressed support for the league’s renewed presence and highlighted the benefits of participating.
The NHL Commissioner has long criticized participation at the Olympics when game times do not align with North America time zones. Olympic involvement forces the league to condense its schedule and pause play during the Olympics.
Despite early concerns about arenas and ice quality, Bettman said he has been impressed. He pointed to compelling storylines and said the league can make the most of the extra attention.
“The wealth of talent that we have is extraordinary,” Bettman said during an interview with CBC. “You see somebody like Sidney Crosby, who’s 20 years into the game, [Macklin] Celebrini. And then we’ve got players in the middle like [Connor] McDavid and [Nathan] MacKinnon, and [Auston] Matthews.”
He added:
“One of the great things about our game is that we can bring people together. People can express themselves, it’s part of being a sports fan.”
“What [the Olympics] does is give us every four years, if we choose to participate, a platform on a worldwide basis,” Bettman said. “If people take this opportunity to experience hockey and say, ‘I want more of it,’ then this will have moved the game forward.”
Gary Bettman Discusses Russia’s Exclusion From 2026 Olympics
Gary Bettman also addressed Russia’s exclusion from the 2026 Olympics due to ongoing conflict in Ukraine. That decision has sparked debate across the hockey community.
Many believe Russia would have contended for a medal, and their absence likely ends Alexander Ovechkin‘s Olympic hopes. Now 40, Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky last season to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Russia would have brought a deep roster, including Ovechkin, Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Kucherov, and Evgeni Malkin. Its goaltending would also rival any nation, with Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, and Sergei Bobrovsky available.
Bettman declined to comment on the decision. He emphasized that the tournament still features the best players available and noted that the ruling was made by the IOC.
“It’s best-on-best in terms of the the best that are available,” Bettman told CBC. “It’s not our decision. We’re staying out of the geopolitical framework. This is a decision that the International Olympic Committee made.”
He added:
“There are people that say [the NHL should have a harder stance] and there are people that say, ‘Stay out of it. I just want to watch the games.'”
Bettman Previously Voiced Frustration About Olympic Participation
Bettman once voiced frustration over one major issue with NHL players participating in the Olympics.
While the Games increase the league’s global exposure, the NHL has limited control over its content. Bettman said the NHL cannot freely use game footage or highlight player milestones.
“Our access to our players, our promotional rights, our access to video and various highlights and shoulder programming that we can do in conjunction is broader,” Bettman told Sportsnet in 2013. “The IOC is extraordinarily protective of its rights and what it has, and it’s tough to get them to let us do the things we need to do.”
Gary Bettman Reacts to NHL’s Olympic Return