No NHL Gloves Dropped at 2026 Olympics

NHL stars heading to Milan-Cortina will have to keep their fists to themselves under IIHF rules that treat fighting like a cardinal sin. Unlike the NHL's five-minute majors where brawls are almost tradition, Olympic refs hand out ejections and suspensions for any scrap that gets out of hand. As superstars chase gold on a global stage, the lack of fisticuffs shifts focus to skill and speed, raising stakes for every high-stakes collision.