During a lengthy call on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of organizing a series of hockey games between players from their respective countries.
According to the Kremlin’s summary of the conversation, Trump supported Putin's proposal to arrange games in both the U.S. and Russia, featuring players from the NHL and KHL.
Both leaders agreed to stay in contact regarding all topics covered during the call, which had been primarily focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The White House, however, made no mention of hockey in its recap, and the NHL only learned of the idea after the call concluded.
“We have just become aware of the conversation between President Trump and President Putin,” said the NHL in a statement to The Associated Press (AP). "Obviously, we were not a party to those discussions, and it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time."
USA Hockey did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
This marks Trump’s latest engagement with the sport. Last month, he called the U.S. team ahead of their final at the 4 Nations Face-Off, which ended in a 3-2 overtime loss to Canada.
During that international tournament, the U.S. anthem was met with boos in Montreal following Trump's controversial comments about making Canada “the 51st state” and imposing tariffs that sparked tensions between the two nations.
Putin, known for his passion for hockey, attended the Russia-U.S. game during the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where American player T.J. Oshie became a hero in a shootout victory over the Russian team.
The U.S.-Russia rivalry on the ice dates back to the 1980 "Miracle on Ice,” when a team of U.S. amateurs defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in the medal round, ultimately winning Olympic gold in Lake Placid, New York.
Russia, competing as the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) due to previous doping violations, won the men’s hockey gold at the 2018 Winter Games when the NHL did not participate for the first time since 1994.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has banned the country from participating in its tournaments.
A decision regarding the 2026 Milan Olympics remains pending, as NHL players are expected to return, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) previously barred Russian teams from participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics, allowing only individual athletes as neutral competitors.
The NHL continues to allow Russian players in the league, with some of the game's most prominent stars, including Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild.
While the NHL Players’ Association and league are planning a World Cup of Hockey in 2028, it remains uncertain whether Russian players will be allowed to participate.
“Russia has a great hockey tradition, and we have fantastic Russian players in our league,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the 4 Nations in Montreal. “The IIHF has voted to keep Russia out of competitions, as have many other sports organizations. We’ll have to wait and see what the IOC decides. We have time to assess the world situation as it unfolds.”
Union Executive Director Marty Walsh, who has spoken with Russian players, expressed hope that they would return to international competition.
“I’d love to see our Russian players back on the world stage,” Walsh said. “They are incredible athletes. The issue is political, not the NHL. We need to navigate world politics, but as we approach the Olympics and World Cup, I believe we’ll see Russian athletes competing again.”
The NHL and KHL have previously faced off in games, including the 2010 Premiere Challenge, where the Carolina Hurricanes took on SKA Saint Petersburg, and the Phoenix Coyotes played Dinamo Riga. In the 1970s, NHL teams competed against the Soviet Red Army, while the USSR played Canada in the Summit Series of 1972 and 1974.
