NHL Says Finland's Ban on Russian Athletes Could Shape Future Game Decisions
The league says it will weigh Finland's entry restrictions on Russian athletes when deciding whether to stage more regular-season games in the country.
By Evelyn Adeyemi ·
The NHL says Finland's move to bar Russian athletes from entering the country will factor into its decisions about holding future regular-season games there, the league told The Associated Press.
Finland and Norway each announced plans on Thursday to refuse entry to Russian athletes. The Finnish announcement came the same day the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken opened a two-game set in Helsinki, with the restrictions set to take effect on Monday, after the games conclude.
"We are aware of the government's position, and we'll have to take that into account," the league said on Friday when asked whether the new rules would stand in the way of future games in Finland.
The Finnish foreign ministry did not draw distinctions between Russian athletes on national teams, those competing as neutrals, or players on club teams in sports such as hockey or soccer. The ministry said Thursday that Russians would only be permitted to work in Finland on "tasks that are essential to Finland's national interests," adding that Russia "uses sports as a propaganda tool."
The NHL has brought regular-season games to Finland through its Global Series in 2022 and 2024, along with this week's contests, and has yet to confirm any further visits to the country.
Russian players make up a notable share of the league. When the 2026-27 season opened in September, 53 Russians appeared on NHL rosters, or 7.3 per cent of all players, the fourth-largest group from any single country. Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov recorded an assist in Carolina's 4-1 victory over Seattle on Thursday, while Pyotr Kochetkov dressed as the Hurricanes' backup goaltender. The two teams meet again in Helsinki on Saturday.
The government decisions followed anger in Finland over Russia's reinstatement to the ice hockey world championships, an event not run by the NHL, but the fallout may land hardest on other sports. The International Skating Union has already warned of a "possible consequential impact" on the figure skating world championships scheduled for Finland in March.
Neighbouring Estonia has taken a similar stance. Public broadcaster ERR reported Friday that Estonia informed the International Ski and Snowboard Federation that athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus would not be allowed into the country. Estonia is set to host the world junior championships in Nordic skiing in January.
