Ahead of Day 2 of the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh, and IIHF President Luc Tardif met with the media. They were asked about a variety of topics, but one thing was on everyone’s mind: When would Russia be allowed to participate in International Ice Hockey Tournaments again?
“We want as soon as possible the Belarus and the Russians back. Because first, it will mean that the world will be a little bit better,” Tardif told the attending media. “But we follow the recommendation of IOC. And for the team sports, at the moment they’re not allowed to participate at the Olympics.”
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As it stands right now, Russia and Belarus have been barred from team sports by the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation since invading Ukraine just after the Beijing Games in 2022.
Before the start of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games, the IIHF Council extended the ban on Russia and Belarus to the 2026-27 hockey season, citing safety concerns. In addition, the IIHF Council stated that it will revisit its status at its next meeting in May, ahead of the next IIHF Annual Congress in Zurich.
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation did not like the ruling and will appeal the IIHF Council’s decision. The International Olympic Committee stated that those countries could return to the junior ranks as early as the 2027-28 season. It is a touching subject for not only the IIHF, which wants them back in its events, but also for the NHL, given the upcoming World Cup of Hockey in 2028.
But the NHL will follow the recommendations of the International Community, not just the IIHF and IOC, regarding Russia’s absence from these tournaments.
“We will follow what the international community is doing in terms of athletics,” Bettman told those in attendance. “I don’t see any need for us to weigh in separately. And frankly, in terms of our game and our players, wherever they’re from, if we can steer clear of geopolitical issues — not just this one but a whole host of others that are going on — I think that’s better for the game, better for our players and better for our fans.”
World Cup of Hockey Needs To Be Best-on-Best
Everyone agrees that it is not ideal for one of the better hockey nations to be absent. They have been dominant on the International stage for so long. However, their best result with NHLers going to the Olympics was a silver medal in 1998, when the game was still played on International Ice. After that, the results were bronze in 2002, 4th in 2006, 6th in 2010, and 5th in 2014.
While they have not won with NHLers, a Russian team at the Olympics or any IIHF event makes things more interesting. Instead of five hockey nations that could win, adding Russia makes it six. The group stage and medal rounds become harder. The Russians are always tough out.
Some of the best players in the NHL are from Russia, including Kirill Kaprizov, Nikita Kucherov, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, Artemi Panarin, Evgeni Malkin, Mikhail Sergachev, Alex Ovechkin, Vladislav Gavrikov, Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and so many others.
The Russian Olympic Committee last competed at the 2022 Olympic Games, winning a silver medal. They took home the gold medal in 2018 when they defeated Germany 4-3 in a very entertaining game. But those included all KHL players, as the NHL did not send its players to the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
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The idea is for Russia to be one of the eight teams when the puck drops on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. However, nothing is given yet. We know the NHL wanted to add Russia to the Four Nations Faceoff last year and bring in Czechia as well, but a couple of nations did not want them there, so it was just Sweden, Finland, the USA, and Canada.
It is still an uphill climb for Russia to return to the big stage. Hopefully, by 2030, when the Winter Games are in France, the Russians will field a team. But the goal is sooner. However, the world has to get better before that happens.
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