The NHL announced on Thursday that it will award $5,3 million in bonuses and incentives to players whose teams won’t be able to compete for the gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
“The NHL has committed to supporting the World Cup and the teams that are able to attend it, and we’re proud to announce this additional award,” NHL CEO Don Fehr said in a statement.
“The World Cup has brought unprecedented support for our game, our players and our communities, and our commitment to this will continue.
We’re thrilled that the NHL will be able support the Olympics as well, and look forward to a bright future for hockey in this great country.”
The awards will be split between the NHLPA, the NHL Players’ Association and the National Hockey League Players’ Council.
Players are eligible for the award if they were not selected to play in the World Series.
The NHLPA will split $1.6 million with the league and the players’ union, and the NHL Player’s Association will split up $900,000.
The NHLPA said the money will go to players, coaches and owners who were injured or suspended during the Games, as well as those who were suspended and are eligible to receive a partial refund.
Players can also be eligible for a portion of the awards if they attend the NHL Awards Dinner, which is held Aug. 30 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The World Series is scheduled to kick off on Feb. 3 and is expected to draw more than 11 million fans to stadiums across the United States.
