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The Summer Olympics already have 3×3 basketball, so why not throw some 3×3 hockey in the Winter Games?

I can’t think of any reason not to, and neither can the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) because they’re getting a proposal ready that could put the pared-down version of hockey in the 2030 Olympics in the French Alps.

According to the IIHF, adding 3×3 hockey would provide more opportunities for players to compete at the international level. We see this with 3×3 basketball too.

This wouldn’t be the first time that 3×3 hockey made an appearance at a high-level international competition. The event was part of the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

There, it was played only in one zone of a regular-sized sheet of ice with two nets placed along the side boards. However, the IIHF’s proposal will call for a specialized ice pad should the event make the cut for the Olympics. 

According to the IIHF, their 3×3 women’s series in Brazil used a rink that measured 26×18 meters (about 85×60 feet). A typical Olympic-sized sheet is 60×30 meters (about 200×100 feet).

3×3 hockey made an appearance at the 2020 Youth Olympics in Switzerland, however, it looked a little different than it would if it appears at the Olympics. (Photo by Iain McGuinness/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

I love this idea.

Now, anyone who has seen NHL overtime knows how this could be awesome… but it can also get pretty dull if both teams decide to turn the 3-on-3 overtime into a puck possession battle, which is more often than not the case, given that that’s the preferred playbook these days.

However, playing on a smaller sheet, should solve that problem, and like the 3-on-3 overtime we’re used to, players who can play with and without the pick are key.

I think we could see some really cool moments in 2030 if 3×3 hockey is on the program, plus, I think it would be fascinating to see what rosters would look like.

It still has a long way to go before 3×3 hockey is an Olympic sport, but I’m all for it.