During a phone conversation on Tuesday, President Donald Trump expressed support for President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to arrange hockey matches between the United States and Russia, as per a summary provided by the Kremlin.
The Russian government stated that Trump and Putin talked about “hockey games in the USA and Russia featuring players from the NHL and KHL,” which refers to Russia’s professional hockey league.
“We have just become aware of the conversation between President Trump and President Putin,” the NHL commented in a statement to ESPN. “Clearly, we were not involved in those discussions, and it would be inappropriate for us to provide feedback at this moment.”
In the past, the NHL and KHL have engaged in exhibition matches. Notably, in 2008, the New York Rangers played Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Switzerland as part of the now-defunct Victoria Cup in Europe. Additionally, in 2010, the NHL hosted two games against KHL teams during its “Premiere Challenge” series, where the Phoenix Coyotes faced SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia and the Carolina Hurricanes competed against Dinamo Riga in Latvia.
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The NHL’s relationship with Russia underwent significant changes following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Subsequently, the league halted its interactions with the KHL in March 2022, ordering teams to discontinue any communication with KHL clubs and agents situated in Russia. Furthermore, it terminated its broadcasting agreement with Russian networks.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has faced isolation from the hockey community. In response, the International Ice Hockey Federation banned Russia and Belarus from international hockey competitions in 2022, a ban that was recently extended through the 2025-26 season due to security concerns.
“As the current security conditions do not meet the necessary requirements for organizing tournaments that guarantee the safety of all, the IIHF must uphold the current status quo until further notice,” the IIHF stated.
This ban will extend through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, which is set to include NHL players for the first time since 2014. Despite the IIHF’s decision, the final ruling on Russia and Belarus’s participation in the Games, along with the conditions for their involvement, will rest with the International Olympic Committee.
Recently, Trump made headlines in the hockey world by calling Team USA on the morning of their NHL 4 Nations Face-Off championship game in Boston to extend his best wishes. The U.S. ultimately fell to rival Canada 3-2 in overtime.
This tournament took on a political tone, partly due to Trump’s tariff initiatives affecting the Canadian economy and his declarations about turning Canada into “the 51st state,” which led to the national anthems being met with boos during the matches.
“Canada needed a win, and the players felt that responsibility. They took it seriously,” Team Canada coach Jon Cooper remarked. “This victory was different. It wasn’t just for them; it was for over 40 million people. The players understood that and they delivered.”
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