NHL Shuts Door on Russians for 2028 World Cup
League insiders whisper that Russian players face another Olympics-style freeze-out from the 2028 World Cup, echoing the geopolitical headaches that sidelined them before. No official word yet, but the vibe from NHL circles screams no-go amid ongoing tensions. This stance ripples through international drafts and roster builds, forcing GMs to rethink talent pools years out.
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Independent hockey newsletter previews the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics men's best-on-best tournament—the first with NHLers since 2014 Sochi—via a chat with Dallas sports analyst Bob Sturm, who hypes the 11-day thrill from Feb. 11-22, Team USA's Group C slate vs. Latvia (Feb. 12), Denmark (14), Germany (15), and argues Olympic gold rivals a Stanley Cup in prestige for players from USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland.]
by Sean Shapiro · Shap Shots · Read on Substack →