NHL commissioner Gary Bettman clarifies the league’s position on Russia’s exclusion from the Olympics and IIHF events.

Hockey fans are finally witnessing NHL players back in the Olympics after a 14-year absence, promising what many hoped would be a genuine “best-on-best” tournament. Yet, despite the presence of top talent from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland, one crucial piece of the puzzle is missing:

Russia. The ongoing ban from IIHF and Olympic competitions means some of the world’s most elite players, including Alex Ovechkin, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov, and goaltenders Ilya Sorokin, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Igor Shesterkin, are prohibited from participating.

The absence of such talent inevitably raises questions about how complete this tournament can truly be, particularly when evaluating which teams and players represent the absolute best in the world.

Last season, the NHL hosted the 4 Nations Face-Off, which brought together top players from Canada, the U.S., Sweden, and Finland, but it still didn’t include every elite player globally.

Russia’s exclusion continues that trend, leaving a gap in what could have been the most competitive international tournament in a generation. A Russian roster featuring those stars would undoubtedly have been a legitimate gold medal contender, and their absence leaves fans and analysts alike wondering if any event can now claim to be “best-on-best.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, attending the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, addressed questions about the league’s approach to Russian players. Bettman emphasized that the NHL will follow international sporting organizations in applying sanctions, avoiding any independent stance.

“We will follow what the international community is doing in terms of athletics,” he said. “I don’t see any need for us to weigh in separately. And frankly, in terms of our game and our players, wherever they’re from, if we can steer clear of geopolitical issues — not just this one but a whole host of others that are going on — I think that’s better for the game, better for our players and better for our fans.”

While Bettman’s comments reflect a desire to keep the NHL out of politics, critics argue that the decision to exclude Russian players is inherently political, making the league’s attempt at neutrality somewhat ironic. By following the ban, the NHL is indirectly taking a position in a geopolitical matter, whether it intends to or not.

The absence of Russia in major international tournaments like the Olympics and the upcoming 2028 World Cup also means fans will continue to see top-tier talent sidelined from global competition, a situation that detracts from the idea of a true “best-on-best” contest.

For viewers and participants, the NHL’s stance presents a delicate balance between respecting international policy and preserving the integrity of hockey’s highest-level competitions.

While the league seeks to focus on the sport rather than politics, the missing presence of Russian superstars serves as a reminder that international hockey remains entangled with broader global issues. Until Russia is reinstated, the claim of any tournament being fully representative of the world’s best players will remain, at best, incomplete.