European players wary of Russia’s hockey return

MacKenzie Weegar says he enjoys watching Russia play in the top hockey tournaments. But the Canadian defenceman says Russia’s return to international competition might be viewed differently by European players.

“I know those (Russian) guys want to play in it really badly, but it’s obviously a different time, and people have their views on it,” Weegar said Tuesday before his Utah Mammoth played the Maple Leafs in Toronto. ” But I’ve always loved seeing Russia in the Olympics and in those best-on-bests.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russian teams, beginning with the world juniors, which start Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta. Russia and its ally Belarus had been barred from competition since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

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The ruling has prompted a backlash from several European hockey federations. Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia have said their national teams will not play Russia in international competition. Norway and Denmark have said they will not play Russia at the 2027 men’s world championship in Germany, while Austria opposes Russia’s return.

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“It’s different for those countries out there, right? You don’t really feel the impact out in North America,” Weegar said. “They have their opinions on it, and so they should.

“Hopefully they can solve those issues and get Russia back into it.”

In NHL locker rooms, some Swedish and Finnish players were reluctant to weigh in, leaving that to their respective federations.

“I’m not gonna comment on that,” Montreal Canadiens defenceman Adam Engstrom, who is Swedish, said Tuesday morning ahead of a matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. “That’s up to them to comment.”

Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen echoed that sentiment.

“I don’t know (if) I want to say anything on that,” the Finnish centre said.

Meanwhile, Jets centre Mark Scheifele said he hadn’t been aware of the news, with Winnipeg in the middle of a road trip.

“I really don’t have a comment on it,” the Kitchener, Ont., native said inside the Bell Centre visitors’ dressing room. “We’ve played so many games in so many nights, I feel like I haven’t been caught up in the world. You get in the heat of the battle.

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“I should know that news, but yeah, I hadn’t even known that yet. I’ll have to do my own research.”

Sweden is the defending world junior champion. The 2007 tournament is set to begin Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.

— With files from Joshua Clipperton in Toronto and Daniel Rainbird in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.