Are other NHLers allowed to play for their nations during the Four Nations ?

Czechboy

Češi do toho!
Apr 15, 2018
27,870
25,091
Who is stopping Russian from playing Belarus?

Have at it!

Slovakia, Germany, Czechs and Swiss are a bit more complicated.

From a completely non political view.. it'd be a tremendous B tournament. However, talent wise, Russia is obviously a Top 5 nation and it should be a 5 nations cup.

From a political view.. I give this thread 24 hours till it is derailed. My guess is the "Euro hours' have it cancelled by noon EST.
 

WayTooCold

Canada for gold
Jun 9, 2023
194
161
Like Russia has ever needed permission from other nations to do whatever they want.

The 5 team tournament would be pretty good actually.
1. Russia
2. Czechia
3. Slovakia
4. Team Europe ( Germany, Swiss etc. )
5. Belarus
 

Kuracmugger

Registered User
Oct 15, 2019
519
188
Like Russia has ever needed permission from other nations to do whatever they want.

The 5 team tournament would be pretty good actually.
1. Russia
2. Czechia
3. Slovakia
4. Team Europe ( Germany, Swiss etc. )
5. Belarus
Why would belarus and slovakia be on their own when germany and switzerland both have double the amount of NHL players and are better?
 

WayTooCold

Canada for gold
Jun 9, 2023
194
161
Why would belarus and slovakia be on their own when germany and switzerland both have double the amount of NHL players and are better?

KHL heavy tournament. I forgot Team Kazakhstan. So 6 teams in total.

They all have very little NHLers in general. for example Russia have only 60 NHLers. While Sweden have 80. Even tho Russia has bigger population and the perfect environment to play hockey.

By the number of KHL players and they have their own KHL team Dinamo Minsk: KHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 2024‑2025 Stats

Belarus, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland are on similar level on international ice. For example Germany played for Olympic gold medal in 2018.
 

Kuracmugger

Registered User
Oct 15, 2019
519
188
KHL heavy tournament. I forgot Team Kazakhstan. So 6 teams in total.

They all have very little NHLers in general. for example Russia have only 60 NHLers. While Sweden have 80. Even tho Russia has bigger population and the perfect environment to play hockey.

By the number of KHL players and they have their own KHL team Dinamo Minsk: KHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 2024‑2025 Stats

Belarus, Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland are on similar level on international ice. For example Germany played for Olympic gold medal in 2018.
Germany and switzerland have 0 khl players
 

Crosby2010

Registered User
Mar 4, 2023
1,530
1,493
I sincerely wish Russia was playing in this tournament as it is. We have had international hockey at the top level taken away from us for almost a decade so the 4 nations is all we've had for a long time, so I'm happy with that so long as the players put in the effort. But in reality there is a team that can have the reigning Art Ross winner, a Vezina and a Conn Smythe winner, a 9-time goal scoring champ, a three-time Cup winner who is also a two-time Art Ross winner, a player who has led the NHL in points at different times this season and a player who got 120 points a year ago and possibly the Calder winner. And none of them are the same player. And this team isn't allowed to play. It's too bad, because nothing was stopping the NHL from allowing it.
 
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moropanov

Registered User
Mar 7, 2015
651
385
I sincerely wish Russia was playing in this tournament as it is. We have had international hockey at the top level taken away from us for almost a decade so the 4 nations is all we've had for a long time, so I'm happy with that so long as the players put in the effort. But in reality there is a team that can have the reigning Art Ross winner, a Vezina and a Conn Smythe winner, a 9-time goal scoring champ, a three-time Cup winner who is also a two-time Art Ross winner, a player who has led the NHL in points at different times this season and a player who got 120 points a year ago and possibly the Calder winner. And none of them are the same player. And this team isn't allowed to play. It's too bad, because nothing was stopping the NHL from allowing it.
Orc country shouldnt be allowed to join any tournaments in forseeable future even when war stops. They should stay banned until they have paid for theyr war crimes and Putin and his gang have been convicted as a war criminals. Its not enough that war stops they must pay all back before that no business with them and banned from all sports thats fair deal for theyr orcish behaviour Russia is enemy to all western nations they are our enemies as much and similarly as orcs where enemies of free people in middle earth Russian hockey players like Ovechkin etc are nothing but orcs in general ofc some better ones, but 90% are that typic persons and Putins supporters..
 
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ORRFForever

Registered User
Oct 29, 2018
20,001
11,175
I sincerely wish Russia was playing in this tournament as it is. We have had international hockey at the top level taken away from us for almost a decade so the 4 nations is all we've had for a long time, so I'm happy with that so long as the players put in the effort. But in reality there is a team that can have the reigning Art Ross winner, a Vezina and a Conn Smythe winner, a 9-time goal scoring champ, a three-time Cup winner who is also a two-time Art Ross winner, a player who has led the NHL in points at different times this season and a player who got 120 points a year ago and possibly the Calder winner. And none of them are the same player. And this team isn't allowed to play. It's too bad, because nothing was stopping the NHL from allowing it.
Yes, I don't get embracing Russian players while distancing themselves from a Russian team. Politics and sports should NOT mix - it has never made things better.
 
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Namejs

Registered User
Dec 24, 2011
4,226
966
Oslo
Yes, I don't get embracing Russian players while distancing themselves from a Russian team. Politics and sports should NOT mix - it has never made things better.
You're a single-minded North American with zero idea about how hockey or sports are perceived in Russia.

In Russia, an ethno-nationalist fascist state, everything is a direct extension of politics, and that includes sports. The overwhelming majority of Russian hockey fans do not care about hockey. For them as nationalist zealots (think North Korea), the only thing they care about is national pride and chauvinism.

For instance, the KHL as a league is a political pet project of Vladimir Putin that has cost the Kremlin over a billion in losses since 2008. Only just so they could lie to themselves and convince themselves they're competing with the NHL. Because it's a matter of national pride.

And you're telling us now that sports and politics should not mix?

There's nothing more political than sports in Russia.

If you're in favor of playing against a genocidal fascist regime, you're either morally reprehensible or a fool. There's no third option.
 

Hanji

Registered User
Oct 14, 2009
3,376
3,038
Wisconsin
Yes, I don't get embracing Russian players while distancing themselves from a Russian team. Politics and sports should NOT mix - it has never made things better.


The NHL embraces Russian players because they line the pockets of the owners.
However no money can be made off a Team Russia because Sweden, Finland, etc. refuse to play Russia.

It’s the European federations playing politics.
The NHL is solely about profit.
 
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Hanji

Registered User
Oct 14, 2009
3,376
3,038
Wisconsin
You're a single-minded North American with zero idea about how hockey or sports are perceived in Russia.

In Russia, an ethno-nationalist fascist state, everything is a direct extension of politics, and that includes sports. The overwhelming majority of Russian hockey fans do not care about hockey. For them as nationalist zealots (think North Korea), the only thing they care about is national pride and chauvinism.

For instance, the KHL as a league is a political pet project of Vladimir Putin that has cost the Kremlin over a billion in losses since 2008. Only just so they could lie to themselves and convince themselves they're competing with the NHL. Because it's a matter of national pride.

And you're telling us now that sports and politics should not mix?

There's nothing more political than sports in Russia.

If you're in favor of playing against a genocidal fascist regime, you're either morally reprehensible or a fool. There's no third option.

Oh please.
All these European federations (IIHF) had no qualms giving Team China mass favoritism at the Olympics. Yep, the Beijing games used by an evil authoritarian genocidal state for propaganda purposes.
These countries will still even play against China now.

By your own standards all these European federations are morally reprehensible, or fools.
 
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archangel2

Registered User
May 19, 2019
2,871
1,774
no politics.

But on the actually subject. NHL players have contracts. For a player to play hockey anywhere outside of NHL games, the team must release them to said team. This included national teams
 

Albatros

Registered User
Aug 19, 2017
13,936
9,230
Ostsee
Oh please.
All these European federations (IIHF) had no qualms giving Team China mass favoritism at the Olympics. Yep, the Beijing games used by an evil authoritarian genocidal state for propaganda purposes.
These countries will still even play against China now.

By your own standards all these European federations are morally reprehensible, or fools.
China was so massively favorized that they lost all their games finishing dead last. Even the women's team had their worst ever finish.
 

Namejs

Registered User
Dec 24, 2011
4,226
966
Oslo
Oh please.
All these European federations (IIHF) had no qualms giving Team China mass favoritism at the Olympics. Yep, the Beijing games used by an evil authoritarian genocidal state for propaganda purposes.
These countries will still even play against China now.

By your own standards all these European federations are morally reprehensible, or fools.
All European federations? That is blatantly incorrect. Also, do elaborate on what exactly do you mean by mass favoritism.

PRC is an authoritarian, genocidal state that is one short step away from becoming an evil, expansionist regime. A step that it has not taken yet, a very important step that separates PRC from states as Russia.

If PRC were to invade Taiwan, PRC would be excluded from international competition.

What is morally reprehensible is how all the North American major sports leagues are in bed with PRC, gladly self-censoring themselves and curtailing free speech by not allowing to display the Taiwanese or Tibetan flags, etc.
 

Hanji

Registered User
Oct 14, 2009
3,376
3,038
Wisconsin
All European federations? That is blatantly incorrect. Also, do elaborate on what exactly do you mean by mass favoritism.

PRC is an authoritarian, genocidal state that is one short step away from becoming an evil, expansionist regime. A step that it has not taken yet, a very important step that separates PRC from states as Russia.

If PRC were to invade Taiwan, PRC would be excluded from international competition.

What is morally reprehensible is how all the North American major sports leagues are in bed with PRC, gladly self-censoring themselves and curtailing free speech by not allowing to display the Taiwanese or Tibetan flags, etc.


All these federations who are refusing to play Russia had no problem participating in the 2018 olympic propaganda fest for an immensely wicked and genocidal Chinese regime. Crimes against humanity galore. Repugnant.

Notwithstanding the IIHF (with the current President) even loosely applied player eligibility criteria so China be at least somewhat competitive and not lose 50-0. Yes, mass favoritism.

Morally repugnant and reprehensible with a side of ‘do as i say not as i do’.
The moral hypocrisy is astounding.
 

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