Report: NHL to allow Russia back for the World Cup of Hockey

The NHL's desire to bring Russian stars back into the fold of international hockey is running headlong into fierce opposition from some of the sport's most important European nations, creating a diplomatic headache that could shape the future of best-on-best tournaments for years to come.

During the annual State of the NHL press conference held alongside the Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh, N.C., deputy commissioner Bill Daly addressed the thorny question of whether Finland, Sweden, or Czechia might boycott future events if Russia were allowed to participate. Daly said he had spoken that very morning with a representative from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), who reportedly told him there would be no issue with those nations.

That claim was almost immediately shot down.

European federations fire back

The Finnish Ice Hockey Association wasted no time issuing a public rebuttal. In a statement attributed to president Heikki Hietanen, the organization made clear that its stance on Russia had not shifted one bit. The federation also denied having any discussions on the matter with anyone. Meanwhile, Czech federation president Alois Hadamczik was equally blunt, telling reporters that as long as Russia's war in Ukraine continues, the country has no place in international hockey. The Swedish federation echoed the same position, pointing to a January 2026 statement backing the IIHF's continued exclusion of Russia from its competitions.

The timing of this flare-up is no coincidence. Just last week, the IIHF reversed a blanket ban on Russia for the 2026-27 season, opting instead for a case-by-case approach for individual tournaments. At the same time, the NHL and the NHL Players' Association are deep into planning for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, scheduled for February of that year. Adding another layer of intrigue, former Russian hockey great Igor Larionov has reportedly stated that Russia will compete in the 2028 World Cup, which is set to be hosted across Prague, Calgary, and Edmonton.

That assertion, however, seems premature given the current state of affairs. Staging round-robin games in Prague while simultaneously including Russia would be an extraordinarily sensitive move, particularly given the Czech federation's vocal opposition. It is difficult to envision the NHL proceeding with a marquee tournament that excludes Finland, Sweden, and Czechia, three nations with deep hockey traditions and rosters filled with elite NHL talent.

A balancing act with no easy answers

From the North American perspective, there is a clear desire to see players like Nikita Kucherov, Kirill Kaprizov, and Andrei Vasilevskiy represent their country on the biggest stage. The NHL and NHLPA appear fully aligned on that front, buoyed by the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025 and the league's return to the Winter Olympics in Milan. NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh acknowledged that Russian players are eager to compete in best-on-best events but conceded that geopolitics make the situation far more complicated.

The NHLPA also gathered feedback from players across the league during a tour last fall. Assistant executive director Ron Hainsey revealed that while everyone would love to see all top hockey nations represented, several players from European countries expressed discomfort with the idea of competing alongside Russians while the invasion of Ukraine persists.

Even the NHL's All-Star Weekend format change could become a flashpoint. The league plans to feature national teams representing the U.S., Canada, Finland, and Sweden, along with a "World" team that could theoretically pair Czech players with Russians. While such a scenario might fly under the radar in North America, it would likely attract intense scrutiny back in Europe.

For logistical and planning reasons, the 2028 World Cup roster of participating nations likely needs to be finalized at least a year before the event. That gives the NHL and IIHF a shrinking window to find common ground with the European federations. The league has acknowledged that it is not obligated to follow the IIHF's lead on Russia, but it clearly hopes the international body can broker some kind of agreement that provides political cover.

The swift and forceful European reaction to Daly's comments underscores just how different the perspective on this issue is across the Atlantic. In North America, the conversation centers on hockey talent and competitive balance. In Europe, it remains inseparable from the realities of an ongoing war. Until those two worldviews can be reconciled, or until the conflict itself comes to an end, the NHL's path to including Russia in international events remains anything but clear.