While the 2028 World Cup of Hockey will operate independently from the IIHF, both the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) are closely monitoring global events before determining the participation of Russian players.

“I’m eager to see our Russian athletes back in these tournaments,” stated Walsh. “Their talent on the ice is undeniable. The challenges we face are rooted in political issues—not specifically those related to the NHLPA, but rather the broader situation in world politics. I remain hopeful that as we approach the Olympics and the World Cup, we will witness Russian competitors return to the arena.”

Bettman added, “The international governing body has recently voted to exclude Russia from various competitions, a stance mirrored by many other sporting organizations. We’ll see how the International Olympic Committee responds to this. Fortunately, we have ample time to evaluate the evolving global situation before this event.”

The 2028 World Cup of Hockey will take place on NHL-sized rinks and will adhere to NHL rules, with officiating provided by NHL referees. Additional specifics regarding the tournament will be established by the NHLPA and NHL in collaboration with relevant parties in the upcoming months.

“This is exciting,” remarked Erik Karlsson, defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Swedish national team. “We’ve missed these tournaments for quite a while. Establishing a schedule that allows significant tournaments to occur every two years would be ideal for everyone involved.”

The aim is to initiate a premier international competition every two years following the 2030 Olympics.

“Our long-term vision is to create an environment where fans, players, and everyone can anticipate regular competitions featuring their national teams, generating memorable moments like Sid (Crosby)’s golden goal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics,” shared Hainsey. “This is our overarching objective for the future, and the players are very much in favor of it.”

Following the conclusion of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NHL and NHLPA will continue their collaborative efforts to finalize details for the 2028 World Cup, including participant teams, tournament schedules, broadcasting details, as well as training camps. This information will be disclosed later this year. A comprehensive collection of images, statistics, and summaries from past World Cups of Hockey (1994, 2004, and 2016) can be accessed at Records.NHL.com.

Bettman and Walsh also anticipate entering into formal negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement following the 4 Nations Face-Off, as the current contract is set to expire in September 2026.

“We indicated that we would begin negotiations around February,” Bettman mentioned. “We’ll commence the process when Marty indicates that we should.”

Both parties hope to finalize a new agreement by the end of the current season or shortly thereafter.

“Our goal is to start this process positively,” Walsh expressed. “We want to initiate discussions promptly. The commissioner has a timeline in mind that isn’t overly aggressive but aims to wrap things up sooner rather than later. I believe we are all aligned on that aspiration.”

This report includes contributions from NHL.com Editor-in-Chief Bill Price.