The 2026 Winter Olympics hold special significance for ardent NHL fans. After a decade-long wait, the league’s stars will once again participate in the prestigious tournament, representing their countries on the sport’s grandest stage for the first time since Sochi 2014. With months still to go before the Milan-Cortina Games kick off, the buzz is already building. Recognizing just how momentous the occasion is, the NHL is preparing a unique send-off to match it.

The National Hockey League is set to host a Super Bowl-style media day in February at the New York Islanders’ UBS Arena. At least, an exclusive word from NHL President of Content & Events Steve Mayer to the esteemed columns of Sports Business Journal suggests so. Much like the NFL’s famed “Opening Night,” the event will be open to the public, with players and coaches taking center stage on the arena floor before they make the trip to Italy.

Consider the spectacle to serve as hockey’s Olympic curtain-raiser. This will give ardent fans one last chance to see their favorite stars before they head overseas. After all, not only is it an occasion that has arrived after such a long time, but the fact that more than 150 NHL players are expected to participate in the 2026 Games.

Ergo, the league’s Long Island send-off is designed to set the tone, helping in both celebrating the moment and reminding fans just how monumental the return of NHL talent is to Olympic competition. Of course, the league’s decision to stage such a spectacle isn’t only about giving players and fans a memorable experience — it also serves its own interests.

As the Sports Business Journal reported, the NHL views the Olympics as a chance to generate more content and promotional value than in past appearances, even if the International Olympic Committee continues to maintain strict control over access and intellectual property. Then again, the talking point remains that the league has given quite an early Christmas present to its fans and contesting players alike.

We’d suggest that all the ardent supporters block their calendar for February. Rest assured, the excitement for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina is palpable for the obvious reasons, and the NHL surely gave yet another one.

NHL stars set for a special Winter Olympics!

“I feel like it’s important for hockey as we continue to try to grow the game internationally and at home,” said Connor McDavid, expressing his excitement after the National Hockey League announced its intention to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics during All-Star week in 2024. For the Oilers captain, it was nothing short of a dream come true — and who would have thought the league would take the word growth quite this seriously?

Which brings us to our first reason: the NHL is teaming up with Italian soccer powerhouse Lega Serie A in a groundbreaking collaboration ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The partnership was first teased back in March, when Serie A icons Andrea Pirlo and Marco Materazzi swapped jerseys with Rangers center Mika Zibanejad at Madison Square Garden. That moment turned out to be just the beginning.

Not to mention that back in August, Milan hosted the 2025 NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour, where the NHL’s top European stars joined forces with Serie A players and legends for a series of promotional events tied to the league’s opening weekend. And the reason was simple: to tap into a global audience in fresh, exciting ways by blending the worlds of hockey and soccer.

As Lega Serie A USA CEO Andy Mitchell put it, the initiative aims to create “a synergy that showcases the best of each league,” while NHL Business President Keith Wachtel highlighted that it will also deliver “unique content that celebrates the intersection of hockey and soccer.”

Rest, this NHL return was long overdue. Between clashing schedules and the COVID-19 pandemic, NHL players have been kept away from the Games for over a decade. Yet their desire never faded. “Obviously, I’ve been vocal about this,” McDavid said last year when the league confirmed its 2026 plans.

Well, sir, you are certainly not alone — the hockey world has been waiting for this moment, and the countdown is officially on.