After a 12-year absence, NHL players will compete in the 2026 and 2030 Olympic Games as part of a new agreement between hockey's governing bodies.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), NHL and NHL Players' Association finalized an agreement that confirms NHL player participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. It marks the first time that NHL players will compete in an Olympic setting since the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

It's no surprise, but the formalized agreement was a landmark achievement after the NHL opted not to attend the past two Winter Games.