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NHL Players Return to Olympics Amid Russia's Absence

1/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics will feature NHL players for the first time since 2014.
Russia will be absent from Olympic rosters due to IOC sanctions after invading Ukraine.
Former NHL goalie Evgeni Nabokov faces challenges selecting a Russian team amid a pool of Vezina winners.
Key players include Evgeni Malkin, who has returned from injury, and Danila Yurov and Ruslan Abrosimov.
Ilya Sorokin leads goaltending performance metrics.

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Story summary

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics will feature NHL players for the first time since 2014.
Russia will be absent from Olympic rosters due to IOC sanctions after invading Ukraine.
Former NHL goalie Evgeni Nabokov faces challenges selecting a Russian team amid a pool of Vezina winners.
Key players include Evgeni Malkin, who has returned from injury, and Danila Yurov and Ruslan Abrosimov.
Ilya Sorokin leads goaltending performance metrics.