Russia's Olympic Hockey No-Show Hands Rivals an Asterisk
The 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament loses its edge without Russia, as the IOC upholds sanctions barring their team from team events in Italy. Stars like Ovechkin, Malkin, Kaprizov, Kucherov, and Vasilevskiy sit home, potentially their last shot at gold, leaving a massive void in forward talent and goaltending. Canada and Team USA breathe easier as favorites, but everyone knows the field feels thinner without that Russian firepower pushing the gold medal odds into chaos.
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