Athletistic/Hockey. Three-time Stanley Cup winner and now assistant head coach of the New Jersey Devils, Sergei Brylin shared his opinion on the possible holding of a tournament under the auspices of the NHL without the participation of the Russian national team. This competition is expected to take place in February 2025.
“It’s a shame that such a decision was made. We all know very well what kind of international situation we are currently living in. I don’t know what really happened in the league and why such a decision was finally made taken. I just hope that with time this “can change somehow. Because such important events as World Cups and Olympics remain in the memory of every athlete and fan. And of course, I would like to see the Russian team at these main competitions,” TASS quotes Brylin.
The NHL, despite IIHF sanctions against Russia, intended to invite a team consisting of Russian players to the World Cup, scheduled for February 2024. However, the ice hockey federations of Sweden and Finland have stated that they would refuse to participate in such a tournament if Russia was invited. As a result, the NHL leadership first postponed the tournament until 2025, and then canceled it altogether, replacing it with a mini-tournament with the participation of only four teams – Canada, USA, Sweden and Finland.
Source: Sport
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