Back from Russia: Finland and the Czech Republic Pose a Challenge for the NHL

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Back from Russia: Finland and the Czech Republic Pose a Challenge for the NHL
Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Last night, Gary Bettman and Bill Daly spoke to the media. They discussed a variety of topics… including the future of the All-Star Game.

They'll go with a format featuring a skills competition with young players, followed by a 3-on-3 tournament with different countries.

And on that note, the issue of Russian players came up again. They will be able to participate in the All-Star Game with the Rest of the World team… and Bill Daly, who spoke with the IIHF, even went so far as to say that he doesn't think Sweden, Finland, or the Czech Republic would boycott international tournaments if Russia were to return.

Except that what we're learning today is that Daly may have spoken a little too soon. Chris Johnston, in an article for The Athletic, noted that the situation is a bit more complex than that.

The Finnish federation issued a statement saying that “its position on Russia has not changed”… and the Czech federation, for its part, had its president publicly declare that Russia should not be allowed to participate in competitions.

Keep in mind that right now, the NHL and the IIHF are in the process of organizing the 2028 World Cup, in which Russia could very well participate. And even though Daly seemed optimistic yesterday, there are real reasons to believe that Russia's return to international competition wouldn't make everyone happy.

He may have spoken a little too soon yesterday: there are still some big names around the table who don't want to see Russia back.

There's a difference between not wanting to see Russia return and threatening to boycott a tournament in which Russia would participate. But what's clear is that even if the NHL wants to move on and sweep the issue under the rug, the situation isn't that simple.

Let's see how this plays out now.


In a nutshell

– Jalen Chatfield became a dad shortly after the Hurricanes eliminated the Habs. What a story.

– Indeed.

– Where will Bobby McMann play next year?

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