Clubs for battle: how realistic is it to hold matches between Russians and Americans

The results of the telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were followed without exaggeration by the whole world. It is all the more surprising that, in addition to finding solutions to the most complex political and economic dilemmas, there has suddenly been a place for issues that are completely atypical in the current situation. Namely, the American leader supported the idea of the President of the Russian Federation to hold a friendly match between Russian and American hockey players playing in the NHL and KHL.

The best against the best

A message about this was posted on the Kremlin's website late in the evening on March 18.

"Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin's idea to organize hockey matches in the United States and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL,— the statement said.

So far, there can be no additional information about any details of a possible competition, but in global terms, the fact of such negotiations looks optimistic. Apparently, the gradual return of Russian sports to the international stage is inevitable.

At the same time, such news came as a big surprise to sports organizations, including the NHL. There is no clarity, so the potentially interested parties responded in the same boring way, advocating for everything good and against everything bad. They can be understood. Even in theory, it is difficult to imagine what kind of development this solution will receive in the near future.

"If the two presidents have agreed, why not believe that such matches will take place," Vyacheslav Fetisov, a two—time Olympic champion, told Izvestia. — It will be interesting. Trump doesn't have much time left to play, because our president knows how to score! That's why Donald has some time. We can teach Trump! We have good experience. Let him come to our training camp. We'll put him on skates quickly! God grant that the games will take place.

My imagination conjures up matches between clubs, and games involving national teams, and some kind of youth tours, and something else. However, it's useless to get ahead of yourself right now. Trump is known for doing what is beneficial to him. The President of the United States is a businessman first, a charismatic politician second, and everything else third. It's hard to imagine that he would dictate his terms to the NHL in order to send Panarin and Kucherov to an international match against the Tkachakov brothers.

"I hope that everything will be resolved soon, and the best will play against the best," Evgeny Kuznetsov, SKA's star forward and Stanley Cup winner, told Izvestia. "That's right. And our business is to play hockey. Is the Russia—USA match a beautiful story? I want to play against the best. Any sport should work according to this principle.

"It turns out that I guessed right, I said earlier that it would be necessary to hold such a match and include Alexander Ovechkin in the squad for such a game," Svetlana Zhurova, a State Duma deputy and Olympic champion in speed skating, told Izvestia. — In any case, building relationships through sports is the right decision, and such a hockey match can become a landmark. And the fact that they want to hold matches in both the USA and Russia is the best idea. Many American fans have been waiting for this very much, because they have long wanted to see what an amazing team all our hockey players can make. I think the excitement around these games will be no less than around the World Cup.

Have already been conducted

At the same time, it is obvious that the lifting of any sanctions, even sporting ones, becomes a process that stretches over years. In no case should we forget about the position of Canada and especially most European countries, which, unlike Trump, are on a different ideological platform. They will resist the return of hockey Russia to the international level by any means.

Therefore, the FHR and the KHL, as stakeholders, should have a far-sighted plan and a formulated roadmap in mind. It is impossible to immediately ignore the opinion of the IIHF and its allies, referring only to the communique from Trump. After all, I want to play with everyone, not just Americans.

— The matches can be held, in my opinion, at the national team level, when the World Cup, from which we were suspended, will be held, — said Alexander Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SKA. — But a sufficient number of high-quality hockey players will no longer play in the Stanley Cup. Therefore, the second half of May or the first half of June may be the dates of such a match. But we need to talk specifically at the level of USA Hockey and the NHL.

Medvedev also said that SKA Arena is ready to host such matches.

—SKA Arena is the best arena in Russia,— Medvedev continued. — The most spacious and comfortable. If one of the matches or a series is held here, it will be a great event that will attract fans and media representatives. We have already had experience organizing matches with NHL teams. We played against Carolina, Dinamo Riga played against Phoenix. And these matches were very successful. We also played games with NHL veterans. We have experience.

If these games happen (it is worth repeating that the format and composition of participants are still unclear), they will not be the first in the history of the confrontation between the KHL and the NHL. In 2008, Metallurg (right before the launch of the Continental League) faced the Rangers in the first ever Victoria Cup match, an exhibition tournament consisting of a single game between teams from Europe (the winner of the European Champions Cup) and the NHL. Magnitogorsk was defeated in that match in Switzerland by a minimal margin (3:4).

In October 2010, two more games took place, but already organized at the KHL and NHL levels.: SKA beat Carolina in St. Petersburg (5:3), and Dinamo Riga lost to Phoenix on home ice (1:3). After that, the Russian teams did not meet with the American or Canadian teams at the club level.