The ban, a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, means it’s decreasingly likely the Capitals star will get to play in the Milan-Cortina Games.

With the 4 Nations Face-Off coming up next week, marking the return of “best-on-best” International Hockey, the IIHF Council ruled on whether or not to bring Russia and Belarus back into their international hockey tournaments.

This just in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has officially ruled out Russia and Belarus from international competition during the 2025-26 season, citing security reasons. – IIHF This,

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Thursday officiated the one-year countdown to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, saying “Italy is ready.”