NHL sets no deadline on Russia's World Cup of Hockey 2028 role
Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league will decide later, as its stance on Russia keeps changing almost daily.
The NHL has not set a deadline for deciding whether Russia will take part in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said on Wednesday, Russia's state news agency TASS reported.
"We're committed to ultimately doing the right thing," Bettman said, adding that the right course may change on a daily basis.
He said the NHL is not doing business with Russia, and that Russian players in the league play for their NHL teams, not for Russia.
"We don't have to make a decision today," he said.
Bettman said the league would weigh what is the right thing to do at the right point in time, taking into account events in the world, and that there is no easy answer.
The NHL and the players' union plan to hold the World Cup of Hockey 2028 with eight teams, and the tournament will be hosted by Canada and the Czech Republic.
Earlier, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation to allow Russian teams to take part in international competitions, after an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation.
The previous tournament in this format was held in 2016 and included national teams from Russia, Canada, the United States, Finland, the Czech Republic and Sweden.