World Cup of Hockey won’t be returning in 2020

The World Cup of Hockey was anticipated to return in the fall of 2020, but that won’t be happening.

Today, the NHL announced that it couldn’t reach an agreement with the NHLPA and therefore “it’s no longer realistic to try to schedule a World Cup of Hockey for the fall of 2020.”

NHL statement regarding today’s meeting with the NHLPA: pic.twitter.com/ciNYW7knDj

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 16, 2019

Both the timing of the tournament and the potential of the NHLPA opting out of the league’s CBA in September 2019 are the biggest reasons for the tournament not being confirmed.

If the future of the CBA can be figured out in the next number of months, planning for the next World Cup of Hockey would likely resume.

“The players are focused on finding the proper time to schedule the World Cup of Hockey within the context of an overall international hockey calendar,” said a statement from the NHLPA.

"While we and the league have discussed the possibility of holding the next World Cup in September 2020, we jointly concluded that it is unrealistic to expect that preparations for the event would be completed in time.”

NHLPA statement regarding World Cup of Hockey and ongoing discussions with NHL. pic.twitter.com/ytx9F4ZumV

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) January 16, 2019

The last World Cup of Hockey took place in September 2016 in Toronto, featuring eight teams.

While traditional hockey powers Canada, the United States, Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic took part, it also saw the creation of two brand new teams representing more than one country.

Team North America was made up of Canadian and American skaters aged 23 and younger, while Team Europe was made up of players from 7 European countries not already represented in the tournament.

In the end, Canada defeated Team Europe in a best-of-three final to claim the trophy.