In the run-up to the Milan Winter Olympics, Russia and Belarus have been banned from competing in team sports, including ice hockey, following their military invasion of Ukraine after the 2022 Beijing Games. This prohibition, enforced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), has prevented some of the world’s top NHL players from participating in what is expected to be the first true best-on-best Olympic hockey tournament in ten years. The absence of Russian athletes has prompted concern and disappointment across the hockey world, especially among peers and fans who recognize the impact of this political decision.
Emotional Reactions from Players Amidst Russia’s Ban
T.J. Oshie, who won Olympic acclaim with his shootout performance against Russia in the 2014 Sochi Olympics and later became NHL teammates with Alex Ovechkin on the Washington Capitals, expressed personal regret that Ovechkin will not be able to represent Russia in Milan. Oshie reflected on Ovechkin’s young children, who have yet to see their father compete on Olympic ice, remarking,
“I feel bad that ‘O’ can’t go represent his country. He’s got two young boys that haven’t been able to watch him in the Olympics. So, as a friend, I think that’s very unfortunate that they don’t get to experience that.”
Other players echoed mixed feelings about the exclusion. Sweden’s goalie Jacob Markstrom acknowledged the talent lost from the tournament, saying,
“It’s a lot of good hockey players that play in the NHL we play against daily, that are top of the points and top players for their team. But I’m not decision maker or the shot caller for everything that’s going on, so that’s out of my pay grade.”
Meanwhile, Sweden’s Mika Zibanejad declined to comment on the topic in detail, calling it
a conversation to be had in a different setting.
Jack O’Callahan, a member of the 1980 U.S. hockey team, voiced his profound disappointment over Russia’s Olympic ban, stating,
“I’m just incredibly disappointed that Russia is not in the Olympics and from the hockey perspective, definitely, but also even the other sports. I’m just really disappointed. I think it’s so short-sighted that the IOC is keeping Russia out of the Olympics. That really kind of bugs me.”
Top Russian NHL Players Left Off Olympic Rosters
Had Russia been allowed to participate, its roster would be star-studded. Alex Ovechkin, who recently surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record, remains a formidable figure in his 40s and might occupy a depth role if a Russian team had been assembled. Nikita Kucherov, ranking third in the NHL scoring race with 91 points, and Kirill Kaprizov, tied for third in goals with 32, would anchor the offense alongside wingers Artemi Panarin and Ivan Demidov, both well-known for their impact on the ice.
On the goaltending front, recent Stanley Cup-winning netminders Sergei Bobrovsky and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who respectively lifted the Cup in Florida (2024, 2025) and Tampa Bay (2020, 2021), would headline the Russian roster. The New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin, top-tier goalies themselves, would fight for limited spots, given the three-goalie limit on Olympic rosters.
Political Context Drives Olympic Eligibility Decisions
Bruce Berglund, author of The Moscow Playbook: How Russia Used, Abused, and Transformed Sports in the Hunt for Power, commented on the reactions within Russia and internationally regarding the ban. He detailed how Russian media and some North American fans allege that the absence of Russian players reduces the Olympic hockey tournament’s quality. Berglund said,
“You’ll hear the argument made by Russians, as well as by hockey fans in North America, that the Olympic tournament is losing quality in not having the Russians there. When I’m reading the Russian sports press, commentators will say, ‘Well, this tournament isn’t top level because the Russian team, the best team in the world, isn’t even there.’”
Nonetheless, Berglund stressed the overarching political significance, emphasizing that allowing Russia to compete at the Olympics amid ongoing conflict would provide political leverage for President Vladimir Putin. He asserted,
“At this moment to have Russia send its hockey team and then to be able to use that as grist for their political mill, I don’t see how — other than a purely hockey argument of the quality of the tournament — you can make the case Russia should be participating. Hockey is so important to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. And whether it’s hockey or any other sport, Russia and Putin’s government uses it for their own political gains.”
Since the war began, the NHL has permitted Russian players to continue competing in the league. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged the difficult position faced by Russian athletes, saying,
“the Russian players are in an impossible situation.”
However, league leadership does not have authority over international eligibility, which rests with the IIHF and IOC.
Historical Tensions Between Russia and the Olympics
Political conflict between Russia and the Olympic movement is not new. In 2022, Russian forces invaded Ukraine shortly after the Beijing Winter Games ended, and in 2014, the war in the Donbas region erupted with Russia’s annexation of Crimea occurring immediately after the closing ceremony in Sochi. These geopolitical dynamics have repeatedly complicated Russia’s participation in international sports.
The Cold War era featured many historic moments tied to hockey and politics, including the famous 1980 “Miracle on Ice” when a scrappy U.S. collegiate team defeated the Soviet Union’s highly trained professionals to win gold at Lake Placid. Unlike today’s NHL players, athletes in those Olympic years did not compete professionally at the Games. Russia’s hockey dominance persisted through the Soviet era with seven Olympic gold medals and later with the Unified Team in 1992. Their most recent gold came in 2018, when many NHL stars did not participate, but athletes like Kirill Kaprizov and Pavel Datsyuk, both Hall of Famers, played key roles on an overwhelmingly talented roster.
Impact of Russia’s Absence on the Olympic Competition
Despite the void left by Russia and Belarus, competing nations have been able to field their top players, ensuring a high standard throughout the Milan tournament. Sweden’s Jesper Bratt acknowledged the gravity of missing Russian players but affirmed the legitimacy of the event for those present, saying,
“Obviously, they have fantastic players. It’s the best on best, but when they’re not here, you take away some of the greatest players. But at the same time, I guess it is the best on best for the ones available.”
The NHL players banned Olympics roster changes stir a mix of strong emotions, illustrating how global politics and sport continue to be tightly interwoven, particularly in hockey. While fans and players may regret the absence of some of the world’s premier talent, the exclusion reflects a broader consensus prioritizing geopolitical considerations over sporting competition. How this dynamic evolves in future Games remains a critical question amid ongoing conflicts and international relations.
