NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says Russia World Cup of Hockey 2028 inclusion remains under “wait-and-see” review

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL will continue to monitor the international hockey landscape before deciding whether Russia will be included in the to-be-determined eight-team field for the World Cup of Hockey 2028. Speaking Tuesday, Bettman emphasized that the League is not making a decision immediately and described the situation as changing “now on almost a daily basis.”

Bettman said the NHL is still not doing business with Russia in the context of NHL players participating in international events. He also stated that Russian players who play in NHL clubs are not playing for Russia. “We know that, but the good news is we don't have to make a decision today,” Bettman said.

The “wait-and-see” review comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last month that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russia in international competitions. Russia and Belarus were barred from competition in 2022 following Russia’s war on Ukraine, and the CAS ruling now requires the IIHF to adjust its international competition participation accordingly.

Canada’s federal position adds another complication for planning. Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Nov. 3 that Canada will not allow Russian and Belarusian players to represent their national team in the upcoming 2027 World Junior Championship in Alberta while the war in Ukraine continues. Bettman said the Canadian government stance is “very complicated from our standpoint,” in reference to the League’s involvement in international event planning and execution.

Bettman said IIHF president Franz Reindl and the IIHF “is going to have to work through it,” citing concerns that multiple national federations have said they will not play in IIHF-sanctioned tournaments if Russia is allowed to participate. The commissioner also noted there is no immediate, fixed deadline for when the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) must make a decision on Russia’s possible presence in the World Cup’s eight-team field.

The World Cup of Hockey is jointly run by the NHL and the NHLPA, and Bettman said that the CAS ruling is not directly applicable to the World Cup arrangement. However, he stated that the League includes the IIHF, along with national team federations, in planning and executing the event. That structure means IIHF participation decisions can still affect World Cup planning even if CAS does not apply to the NHL-NHLPA-run tournament as a standalone matter.

Bettman said he and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly met with IIHF president Franz Reindl on Monday ahead of the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Reindl was elected IIHF president in October, and Bettman said further evaluation will be required as international conditions evolve.

While Bettman said he and the NHLPA will need to make the best decision “when we need to,” he declined to provide a timeline or deadline for when an eight-team World Cup decision regarding Russia must be made. “At some point,” Bettman said, adding that any announced timeline could change because the situation is developing quickly. He also said the League is “monitoring it very closely.”

Bettman acknowledged that many Russian players in the NHL want to play in the World Cup. “We understand that,” he said, while describing the overall situation as “complicated,” without offering a specific path forward or committing to Russia’s inclusion or exclusion.