There has been ongoing discussion about the eligibility of Russian players to compete in the NHL, especially in light of the conflict in Ukraine. Despite the NHL's firm stance that it would not impose bans based on citizenships, recent developments suggest that things could be different for Russian players.
During the holiday season, news from Russia revealed that President Vladimir Putin had issued an official announcement, stipulating that hockey players must spend a minimum number of seasons in the Russian league.
This new directive will complicate matters for NHL prospects associated with KHL clubs. For instance, the Philadelphia Flyers may need to wait an additional three seasons before their top prospect, Matvei Michkov, can join the NHL.
