NHL Vice Commissioner tells whether Russian hockey players will be at the 2026 Olympics

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, all of the top stars from the National Hockey League are expected to participate. However, the question of Russia's involvement remains unresolved.

Details: NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic that they haven't planned that far ahead, as the situation remains very fluid. Much will depend on the international community's stance regarding Russia's participation in the competitions.

Quote: "Many assume that the decision is already essentially made unless there are some drastic changes. Russian teams were not allowed to compete in the 2024 Olympics, unlike some other models used in the past. Therefore, I expect this rule will remain in effect," the NHL commissioner stated.

Reminder: There's not much time left before the start of the new NHL season. The regular season kicks off on October 4 and runs until April 17. We've prepared key dates for the upcoming season.

Additionally, for the first time in NHL history, over $1 billion in contracts were signed on the first day of free agency.