Before “Washington Capitals “and three-time world hockey champion Alexander Ovechkin expressed hope for a speedy return of Russians to competitions under the auspices of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The national teams of Russia and Belarus have not participated in IIHF international tournaments since spring 2022 due to the situation in Ukraine.
— Do you miss international tournaments and the atmosphere in the national team?
— Naturally, when you play for the national team, everything is perceived differently. The same training camp, all the same guys, the atmosphere in the hotel – and it’s beyond words. When you play for a club, it’s your job, when you play for the national team, it’s your duty.
— Fans of the Russian national hockey team, like you, lack international experience. What would you wish for them?
“Patience, I hope that everything will end soon and we will meet again on the ice,” Ovechkin said, according to the press service of the Russian Hockey Federation (RFH).
Ovechkin is 38 years old. As a member of the Russian national team, he participated in 13 World Championships, three Olympic Games (2006, 2010, 2014) and two World Cups (2004, 2016). The Russian missed the 2018 and 2022 games due to a ban from the National Hockey League (NHL), which did not allow its hockey players to participate in the tournament.
The 2026 Olympics will be held from February 6 to 22 in Italy (Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo). The NHL had previously announced that it would release players from the league for the 2026 and 2030 Olympics.
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Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
