NHL fans confused about Olympic hockey rules

The Olympic hockey tournament is about to begin, with Team Canada and Team USA playing their first games on Thursday. But many fans are confused about some of the Olympic rules that differ from those in the NHL.

On Wednesday, the Olympic hockey competition officially kicks off. It will be the first best-on-best tournament since 2014. The opening match features Slovakia against Finland, followed by Sweden taking on the host nation, Italy.
Heading into the tournament, Team Canada and Team USA are widely considered gold-medal favorites. Both teams boast star-studded rosters that few other nations can match. However, several Olympic rules differ slightly from the NHL’s.

Olympic hockey rules

In the preliminary round, overtime will consist of a five-minute 3-on-3 period, followed by a five-player shootout if necessary. In the knockout stages, overtime extends to 10 minutes of 3-on-3, again followed by a five-player shootout.
But in the gold-medal game, there will be no shootout at all—just continuous 20-minute periods of 3-on-3 play until a winner is determined. Fighting will also result in an automatic ejection.

Fans call it ”nonsense”

Fans have been reacting strongly to the IIHF’s rule set, with many criticizing the use of 3-on-3 in the gold-medal game.
“Twenty minutes of 3-on-3 OT in the gold-medal game is BS. It should be continuous 5-on-5,” one fan wrote on X.
“3-on-3 OT for a gold medal in a 5-on-5 sport? Did the people who made these rules even play hockey?” another asked.
“3-on-3 OT in the gold-medal game is nonsense,” a third added.

Olympic hockey fighting rule

The fighting rule has also sparked debate, with some fans questioning certain roster choices for both Canada and the U.S.
“Oh man… what? Wilson vs. the Tkachuk brothers is off?” one fan wrote.
“This is not good news for the Tkachuks,” another said.
“Yeah, let’s continue to grow four nations. These Olympic rules tell me it’s going to be a snooze-fest,” a third fan chimed in.