Fetisov called on Russian players to boycott the NHL All-Star Game in a new format

Russian players should boycott the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Star Game if they are not allowed to play as a team. This was announced on June 3 by two-time Olympic champion, three-time Stanley Cup winner Vyacheslav Fetisov at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Earlier, the NHL announced that the All-Star Game will be held in 2027 in a new format. The organization announced that five teams will take part in it — Canada, Finland, Sweden, the USA and the rest of the world team, which will include players who are not part of the other four national teams.

"I would be outraged, why on earth would everyone play under their own flag, and we would be like the rest of the world. It is unclear why the league is doing this and how all this will change. Everyone plays in different teams and represents different countries against the same players, and there are no conflicts within. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't bump heads," TASS quoted him as saying.

According to Fetisov, such actions can be considered an outrage. He stressed that Russian hockey players must take a stand and be more assertive in their rights.

"I played in the NHL, where the Swedes, the Finns, the Canadians, and the Americans are all aiming for the same result. And it's all far-fetched. The position of our guys should be unambiguous: if we are without a flag, then without us," Fetisov added.

Snow admission: when will Russia return to the international winter sports competitions

The main decisions on the participation of our athletes can be made in the summer of 2026.

President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Luc Tardif announced on May 31 that the organization would discuss the admission of the Russian and Belarusian national teams in September, noting that there were still some bureaucratic problems with the admission of Russian and Belarusian hockey players. He also said that the decision would be influenced by geopolitical events.

The admission of Russians to the competition will take place in a separate order for each team and a specific competition, the IIHF clarified on May 29. It is noted that the request has been sent to the Federation Council for additional analysis, taking into account security issues, operational activities and sports organization of tournaments.