Future U.S.-Russia Hockey Matches in the Works, Says Russian Sports Minister

A series of ice hockey matches featuring players from Russia and the United States is anticipated to occur in St. Petersburg and Washington D.C. in the future, as stated by Russia’s Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev on Monday.

Following a widely monitored phone conversation last month, the Kremlin announced that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his support for President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to host hockey games between the two nations. The White House did not mention the hockey games in its summary of the Trump-Putin discussion, and the NHL clarified that it was not part of the talks.

«The matches are certainly feasible. Private discussions are currently in progress. You will be informed once they are finalized,» Degtyarev told Match TV, a Russian sports channel.

He mentioned that both the U.S. and Russian national teams would feature players from the NHL as well as Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

«The series is set to take place in St. Petersburg and most likely in Washington,» Degtyarev noted, emphasizing that coordinating the schedule is «the most challenging aspect.»

Degtyarev’s comments came a month after it was reported that the EU had agreed to lift sanctions against him and three other business figures tied to Russia, following lobbying efforts from Hungary.

In addition to his role as sports minister, Degtyarev is the president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), which was suspended in October 2023 due to its decision to integrate regional Olympic bodies from partially occupied territories in Ukraine.

Degtyarev expressed optimism, anticipating that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would reinstate the ROC’s membership within two to three months. After that, the committee could begin applying to host events starting in 2029 and beyond.

«The likelihood is quite high,» he remarked to Match TV.

After the extensive invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the International Ice Hockey Federation barred Russia from participating in all its competitions.