Skating back into the spotlight: The business behind the NHL’s Olympic comeback

By Jacob Waltman and Jennifer Bishop ( February 19, 2026, 9:48 AM EST) -- The 2026 Winter Olympics officially began on Feb. 6, 2026, with the opening ceremony in Milano Cortina. The women’s hockey tournament got underway one day earlier with the first match between Germany and Sweden. There has been a lot of recent discussion surrounding ice hockey at these Olympics, including the controversial construction of the rink, the outbreak of norovirus among athletes and the much anticipated return of the National Hockey League (NHL) to the Olympic stage....