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The eight-team international tournament is held at irregular
intervals and has occurred three times previously, with the
United States winning the inaugural event in 1996 and Canada
coming out on top in 2004 and 2016.
"Over the last year, the NHL and the NHLPA have been working on
plans to conduct the next World Cup of Hockey, the premier
international best-on-best hockey tournament, in February 2024,"
the NHL and NHLPA said in a joint statement.
"Unfortunately, in the current environment it is not feasible to
hold the World Cup of Hockey at that time."
The news comes months after the NHL declined to send their
players to the Beijing Olympics citing schedule disruptions due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, and amid Russia's ongoing invasion of
Ukraine, which has led to their athletes' exclusion from several
international competitions.
The top-flight North American league revived the tournament in
2016 as an alternative to having players compete in the Winter
Games, adding "young guns" Canadian and American teams to boost
numbers on the ice.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Christian
Radnedge)
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