The National Hockey League (NHL) is closely monitoring the situation at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, after a norovirus outbreak impacted the start of the women's ice hockey tournament. The highly contagious virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, led to the postponement of the opening game between Canada and Finland, initially scheduled for Thursday, February 5th. The game has been rescheduled for February 12th.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee released a statement stating the decision to postpone the game was made after consulting with medical professionals, following the identification of norovirus cases within Team Finland. The committee emphasized that the health and well-being of players, team staff, officials, and all participants remain the highest priority.

According to reports, four Finnish players have contracted the virus. Finnish head coach Tero Lehtera told reporters that his players were not healthy enough to play and risk potentially infecting Team Canada. He stated that he could not risk his players' health.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and the organizing committee jointly announced the postponement. The organizations stated that the decision was made in accordance with established health and safety principles. While acknowledging the disappointment of not playing the game as scheduled, they affirmed it was a responsible and necessary decision, reflecting the spirit of the Olympic Games and the integrity of the competition.

The decision to postpone the game was made shortly after Finland's practice, where only eight skaters and two goalies participated. It is believed that the remaining 13 players are either in quarantine or isolation due to the illness, which began affecting the team on Tuesday night.

The NHL's concern stems from the fact that many of its players are participating in the Winter Olympics. A norovirus outbreak within the Olympic village could potentially affect NHL players and disrupt the league's schedule upon their return. The Reddit platform has indicated that norovirus was recently circulating through the NHL.

The NHL has not released an official statement regarding the situation, but sources indicate that the league is in communication with the IOC and team medical staff to monitor the health and safety of its players. The league is likely reviewing its own health protocols and considering additional measures to prevent the spread of infection among its players returning from the Olympics.

Despite the postponement of the Canada-Finland game, other women's games proceeded as scheduled. The opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics is set to take place in Milan.