OlymPicks: NHL Ice Hockey Stars May Return for 2022 Beijing

OlymPicks, we highlight news, gossip, and developments regarding the buildup to Beijing's 2022 Winter Olympics.

The NHL likely to throw its hat in the ring

Big news for pro hockey fans: the NHL is considering once again allowing their players to play for their national teams, which would pave the way for 2022 to see some of the game's biggest stars. The NHL last allowed their players to compete in 2014, but forbade it for 2018, primarily because it interrupts the regular NHL season.

Meanwhile, women's ice hockey begins qualifiers at the end of this year. Seven of the 10 teams that will compete have already been selected by the International Ice Hockey Federation: The United States, Canada, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, Japan, and China as the host nation are already in. Thirty-one teams will fight it out for the remaining three spots, with a first round of qualifying in Iceland in December, followed by the second round in February 2021, and a final round in August 2021.

Curling locks in qualifying procedures

Governing bodies have begun announcing qualifying procedures for a number of sports that will appear at the Beijing Games. The World Curling Federation will welcome 10 competing teams to the Olympics, with China guaranteed a spot as the host nation. The nations that place in the top six men's and women's teams at the 2021 World Curling Championships will qualify for the Olympics. The men's championship will be held in Ottawa, Canada. The women's championship will be held in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. 2020 world championships in curling for both men and women were canceled.

Curling mixed doubles will feature eight teams at the Olympics, with two of those teams coming from China, as the host nation. The site for the mixed doubles' world championship has not yet been announced. Lots of other curling information can be found at the World Curling Federation's official site.

More sponsors announced

More official sponsors for the 2022 Games were announced this week. Beijing Kingsoft Office Software and Beijing 1rock Technology were both named as the all-important Official Office Collaboration Software Suppliers. On the TV side, Beijing Gehua CATV Network and Hebei Broadcasting and TV Information Network Group will offer cable television broadcasting services. Not all sponsorships are exclusive, hence the companies sharing the official sponsorship designation. More than 30 companies are now committed as commercial supporters of the games in various categories.

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OlymPicks: NHL Ice Hockey Stars May Return for 2022 Beijing