The ban, a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, means it’s decreasingly likely the Capitals star will get to play in the Milan-Cortina Games.

Russia and Belarus have been banned from international hockey since the invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022. "We want them back as soon as possible," IIHF president Luc Tardiff said at the world junior championship in January. "It will mean the war will be over.

The International Ice Hockey Federation announced Tuesday that it's extending its ban on Russia and Belarus through the 2025-26 season, asserting that "it is not yet safe to reintegrate" the two national teams.