Mikhailov: “Until this year, I thought the NHL was an independent organization. And now I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s also politicized.”

The possible absence of the Russian national team from the international NHL tournament in 2025 is a political question, although previously the league seemed to be an independent organization, the honorary president of CSKA told . Boris Mikhailov .

Earlier, the executive director of the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), Marty Walsh, said that the Russian team, in all likelihood, would not participate in the league’s international tournament in 2025. Teams from Canada , Finland, Sweden and the United States are expected to participate in the tournament.

— You worked at the World Cup in 1996, leading the Russian team. What do you think about the fact that the NHL plans to organize an international tournament in 2025 without the participation of the Russians?

– Let’s think: are those who want to organize the World Cup now friendly towards us? No. It’s a political question. Until this year, I thought the NHL was an independent organization. She was considered that way all over the world. And now I come to the conclusion that the NHL is also politicized.

I will say this: hockey without the Russian national team is an average tournament. This is how the world championships, world cups and Olympics are held without us. The Russian national team is strong and important. Like it or not, the pinnacle of world hockey is the matches between Russia and the Canadians. They are two great hockey powers.

Yes, there were merits from the Czechs, and later from the Swedes and Finns. So world hockey is based on the confrontation between Russia and Canada,” Mikhailov told .

The last World Cup took place in 2016 in Toronto. The Russian team reached the playoffs, but lost to the Canadians in the semifinals (3:5).