The IIHF made a decision on Russia returning to the international stage, as it determined that it will extend its ban on the country from select competition in 2026-27.

Under the ban, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation will not be allowed to field teams for the 2027 IIHF Men's Championship, Men's World Junior Championship, U18 Women's World Championship and U18 Men's World Championship.

"The Council determined that Russia will not be allowed to participate in (these) IIHF Championships during the 2026-2027 season due to ongoing safety, security and sporting integrity concerns," the IIHF said in a statement.

The eligibility for Russia to participate in the 2027 IIHF Women's World Championship will be reviewed in November 2026, in line with the IIHF's event-by-event approach to the ban.

Russia has been banned from IIHF play since 2022 amid the invasion and war in Ukraine. In May, however, the IIHF Disciplinary Board annulled the decision its larger governing body's decision hold them out of the 2026-27 schedule, determining there was not sufficient evidence.

Ultimately, though, the ban was upheld.

Russia is making its way back into some forms of international play, though; Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee provisionally lifting its suspension of the ROC.

Russian hockey players will also get to participate in the upcoming NHL All-Star Game, though, which will feature Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a "World" team comprised of international players, including those from Russia.

Washington has just one Russian player on its current roster in Alex Ovechkin, and two other Russians in the organization in Ivan Miroshnichenko and Bogdan Trineyev. Aliaksei and Ilya Protas hail from Belarus, which was granted partial reinstatement for three IIHF tournaments this coming season.