<P> Ice hockey is a sport that is contested at the Winter Olympic Games . A men's ice hockey tournament has been held every Winter Olympics (starting in 1924); an ice hockey tournament was also held at the 1920 Summer Olympics . From 1920 to 1968, the Olympics also acted as the Ice Hockey World Championships, and the two events occurred concurrently . From 1920 until 1984, only amateur athletes were allowed to compete in the tournament, and players from the National Hockey League (NHL) were not allowed to compete . The countries that benefited most were the Soviet Bloc countries of Eastern Europe, where top athletes were state - sponsored while retaining their status as amateurs . In 1970, after a disagreement over the definition of amateur players, Canada withdrew from the tournament and did not send a team to the 1972 or 1976 Winter Olympics . In 1986, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to allow professional athletes to compete in the Olympics, and starting in 1998, the NHL allowed its players to participate . Women's ice hockey was added in 1992 and the first tournament was held at the 1998 Winter Olympics . Both events have been held at every Olympic Games since . </P> <P> In women's hockey, Canadians Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser hold the record for total medals (five), having won four gold and one silver . Their team mate Caroline Ouellette also won four gold medals . Four other athletes have won four medals: two Canadians - Becky Kellar and Jennifer Botterill with three gold and a silver - and three Americans - Angela Ruggiero, Jenny Potter (each with one gold, two silver and one bronze) and Julie Chu (three silver and one bronze). </P>

When did nhl players start playing in olympics