Twelve years later… it’s finally happening! In November 2022, much to the fans’ disappointment, the NHL and NHLPA decided that the World Cup of Hockey would not be held in February 2024 as scheduled. The last time the world witnessed this event was in 2016 when Canada lifted the trophy after beating Team Europe 2-1. At the time, the league cited the “current environment” as the reason for the delay, keeping things vague and leaving fans hanging.

When plans to bring the tournament back in 2024 failed, whispers of a possible 2025 revival went around. But once again, nothing. There is, however, fresh hope now, as the World Cup of Hockey is scheduled to come back in February 2028. And guess what? That’s not all. The tournament is shaking things up in a major way, introducing a fresh twist that will have the hockey world buzzing.

On February 12, Pierre LeBrun, the go-to hockey insider, took to X to break the big news. And trust us, it’s a game-changer. While it’s still going to be played in NHL-sized rinks and officiated by NHL referees and linesmen, there isn’t going to be a match-up like Canada vs. Team Europe. Why? Because the 2028 edition of the tournament is going to keep it simple and bring fans country vs. country action.

“Just so it’s clear, Bettman says 2028 World Cup will have countries as traditional teams, no made up teams like 2016 with Team North America and Team Europe. That’s not coming back,” wrote Le Brun. So, if you’ve been waiting for a best-on-best tournament with national pride on the line, this is it!

The NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman did not give much space for argument when he stated, “International best-on-best competition is very important to our Players – representing their countries on the ice is in their DNA — and hockey fans love it.” And now that NHL players are coming back to the Olympics for the 2026 and 2030 Winter Games, the league and the NHLPA are building a future in which more players will get the opportunity to skate for their country at the highest level. But here is the catch–while we are all excited about what is yet to come, one of these international events is not just around the corner; it’s already happening as you read this!

The path to the World Cup of Hockey begins!

The 4 Nations Face-Off is on! The NHL opted for something different from a regular All-Star Game, and the fans were given a mid-season international showdown for the first time since the 2016 World Cup. Now, powerhouses Canada, Sweden, Finland, and the USA are ready to battle it out as the action begins at the Bell Centre in Montreal on February 12.

It’s a quick but fiery sprint, with the second leg of the tournament set to be played out at the TD Garden from February 17 before wrapping up on February 20. The format? In the round-robin chaos, each team plays against the other once accumulating points based on their victories. Only the top two squads will make it to the championship game, where it’s winner-takes-all.

As for the rules, things are getting a little extra spicy. Games will run under standard NHL regulations but overtime? That’s where it gets wild. As for the additional time, there will be a round-robin format and 10 minutes of 3-on-3 sudden victory followed by a three-round shootout. And if the championship game goes beyond regulation? Forget shootouts—teams will battle it out in 20-minute sudden-death periods at full strength until one squad seals the deal. Bottom line—expect non-stop action, heart-stopping moments, and pure hockey magic.