Ice hockey is one of Russia’s most popular sports. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the International Ice Hockey Federation suspended Russia from all levels of competition.
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During the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, many Russian hockey players defected to the United States to play in the National Hockey League (NHL), including notable players such as Viacheslav Fetisov, Alexander Mogilny, and Sergei Federov.
On the international stage, Russia regarded Canada as its main hockey rival. Despite winning the World Championship in 1993, the Russian national team went a long time without receiving any medals.
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Russians stumbled in the semifinals of the World Championships in Moscow in 2007 but reclaimed the title in 2008 after defeating the Canadians in Quebec.
The Russian team finished second at the 2010 World Championships in Cologne, losing in the finals to the Czech team. The Russian team won gold for the fourth time in 2012 and became a five-time champion in 2014.
How many ice hockey players are in Russia?
According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, there were 112,786 registered ice hockey players in Russia during the 2020/21 season.
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