Russian NHL stars headline projected All-Star roster after Trump-Putin talks
Russian NHL stars headline projected All-Star roster after Trump-Putin talks
Joseph McBride Mon, July 27, 2026 at 2:41 AM UTC
0
Alex Ovechkin could lead the World Team in the NHL All-Star Game (Image: Getty)
Four Russian NHL stars have been listed on the projected All-Star roster to represent the World Team at the 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Game, with athletes slowly gaining a route back into international hockey following the indefinite ban starting in 2022.
The NHL announced that the 2027 All-Star event would feature five nations - Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States, and a World Team for which Russian athletes were eligible. The World Team comprises athletes not associated with the other competing nations, ahead of a 3-on-3, round-robin exhibition tournament.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has also refused to rule out the possibility of Russia playing at the 2028 World Cup of hockey, and Team USA has played a game in Moscow this month, according to reports. Donald Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin about the game, and now the Russians will return to the NHL All-Star Game.
Hendrick Motorsports' two top candidates for No. 48 and two wildcard options
Ryan Clark explains walking off ESPN set after being fired mid-show
The NHL has officially unveiled its logo for the 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Game, kicking off the countdown to the event at UBS Arena on Long Island on Feb. 5-6. Following the announcement, NHL Media staff released its projected World Team roster, which included four Russian stars.
Among the roster were Nikita Kucherov, Alex Ovechkin, Artemi Panarin, and Kirill Kaprizov. All four hockey stars are among the best in the league, but have been denied the chance to represent their nations alongside all Russian athletes since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Advertisement
Russia is one of the hockey heavyweights alongside the U.S. (Image: Getty)
Russia has been a hockey heavyweight for decades, but was banned by the International Olympic Committee, a ban that extended to the International Ice Hockey Federation. However, the IOC has provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, paving the way for a return.
Following the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025, the NHL is eager to continue with the international theme and is ready to include the Russian athletes. It's the start of a movement in sports, and the IIHF doesn't govern the World Cup, meaning the NHL could include Russia in 2028 regardless.
In addition to the All-Star and World Cup progressions, a hockey game between U.S. and Russian athletes was reportedly held in Moscow on July 1. A friendly match was organized featuring professional and amateur players.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump reportedly discussed Russia-USA hockey relations (Image: Getty)
The announcement was made at the start of June by Robert Agee, the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham). Agee was at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and confirmed that the match would be dedicated to the United States' 250th anniversary.
"We hope that in this way we will also contribute to some kind of melting of the ice between us," Agee said. The game stemmed from a phone conversation between Trump and Putin in 2025, during which they agreed to stage future hockey games between the two nations.
At the time, the NHL released a statement. "We have just become aware of the conversation between President Trump and President Putin. Obviously, we were not a party to those discussions, and it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time."
Source: “AOL Sports”
