NHL's Gary Bettman: Olympics are 'important to our players'

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was on hand as the league opened its 109th season with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers hosting the Chicago Blackhawks.

Among other topics, Bettman shared his opinion on NHL players returning to the Olympics next year after a 12-year hiatus.

"I think it's going to be great," Bettman said about the Olympics' competition and the nearly three-week break and stoppage of league play. "It's important to our players. That's why we're doing it. Listen, there are lots of reasons that I'm never thrilled about taking a couple of week break in the season. Changes a lot of things.

"But on balance, I think it'll be worth it, A) for the exposure, B) for the fan engagement, but C) and most importantly, this is and has always been very important to our players. And that's why we're doing this."

League games will pause from Feb. 6-24 to accommodate the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The last time NHL players competed in the Olympics was in 2014, when Canada won gold in Sochi, Russia.

If the exposure that the league earned with the 4 Nations Face-Off is any indication, the Olympics will be another feather in the NHL's cap.

"We came off of 4 Nations on a high," Bettman said. "It shows you what our players can do representing hockey and what we think is the best best-on-best in international competition."

Bettman also addressed the Tampa Bay Lightning's actions in the preseason finale against Florida on Saturday night.

One night after the two teams combined for 49 penalties and 186 penalty minutes, Tampa Bay recalled six players from its AHL affiliate in Syracuse to play on Saturday. That group amassed 77 penalty minutes and five of the six were assessed match penalties, misconducts or game misconducts.

The league suspended Tampa Bay forward Scott Sabourin four games and defenseman J.J. Moser for two games on Monday. Sabourin was one of the six players who was recalled for Saturday's game. The NHL also fined the organization $100, 000 while Lightning coach Jon Cooper was fined $25,000.

"I think we made our position clear in terms of our response," Bettman said. "That's not what the game is all about.

"We didn't think what happened was appropriate for a variety of reasons."

--Field Level Media