NHL 2013-14 Schedule, Olympics News Update: League Announces Schedule And Olympic Break

The NHL officially announced that its players would participate in the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia next February.

After making the announcement, the league promptly released the schedule for the 2013-14 season, which included a two week Olympic Break.

"The National Hockey League features the most international player population in professional sports, and our outstanding athletes take tremendous pride in representing their homelands on the global stage," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "The decision to participate in the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi was in many ways a difficult one, but one that we know will be well received by our Players and, most importantly, by the vast majority of our fans and sports fans everywhere."

"The Players are very pleased that an agreement has been reached that will allow the world's best hockey players to compete at the Winter Games in February," added Don Fehr, NHLPA Executive Director. "Having the opportunity to wear their nation's sweater in Sochi is something the players look forward to."

The league also showcased a schedule for the upcoming Olympics as well as a breakdown of the three groups and 12 nations participating. Group A will be comprised of Russia, United States, Slovakia, and Slovenia while Group B wil feature Canada, Austria, Finland, and Norway. The four Group C participants include Czech Republic, Latvia, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Here is a breakdown of the schedule: