According to The Athletic, at the commencement of the NHL offseason some Russian-born players were urged against returning to their home countries. Per reports, there was concern Russia could try to prevent players from returning to North America due to sanctions against the country and the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which began in February.
One such unfolding situation is the case of the Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, of whom there are currently conflicting reports of his whereabouts and status. While it was initially reported he returned to the United States upon the arrest of the Flyers’ Ivan Fedotov, Kaprizov’s father said he is a university student and thus exempt from conscription. There are also reports he bought a fake military ID, none of which are confirmed.
Amidst this messy situation, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke out about the relationship with Russia.
“I don’t want to say anything that could be misconstrued or cause an inflammation of a sensitive situation,” Bettman said, per Michael Russo.
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There were 57 Russian-born players who played in the NHL last season, with several others on the brink of being drafted. Danila Yurov, who played in the KHL last year, is thought to have top-10 potential, but uncertainty around his status could cause him to fall.
While it’s unknown how many players will ultimately be affected by this, Bettman and the NHL’s comments indicate the league will be taking a hands-off approaching moving forward, an inevitability in a situation this delicate.
