The International Olympic Committee has lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, opening the door for Russian athletes to take part under their own flag at the 2030 Summer and Winter Olympics.
The decision, announced Tuesday, is an important step toward Russian participation in the 2030 Games in the French Alps, set for February 1 through 17, 2030. For hockey, it raises the possibility of NHL stars such as Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy suiting up for Russia in a true best-on-best international event.
That still is not the final word. The IIHF, which oversees international hockey competition, has not reinstated Russia.
In May, it shifted from a blanket ban to an “ event-by-event basis ” approach, with security and safety driving those decisions. The IOC and IIHF operate separately, but they do influence one another.
The IOC said it will keep watching the ROC to ensure it does not violate its agreement by encroaching on territory under the jurisdiction of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine. It also said anti-doping compliance will remain a major focus for Russian athletes. Questions about the Russian anthem and flag will be settled later.
For Russian hockey players, though, this is still a major development. It does not guarantee anything yet, but it moves them much closer to being part of the 2030 tournament.
Elsewhere around the hockey world, John Romano took a positive view of last year’s Lightning team, arguing in the Tampa Bay Times that it was a good, solid group with a couple of holes. He also pointed to the moves Tampa Bay has made over the past couple of weeks, saying they have reinforced the club’s belief in the roster without tying it up in a lot of big-money, long-term contracts.
In Ottawa, Claude Giroux is staying put after signing a one-year deal with a $2 million cap hit. The contract includes bonuses tied to games played and playoff success, with $1.5 million for appearing in 10 games and $500,000 bonuses for reaching 40 games, the Stanley Cup Final, and winning the Stanley Cup.
Daily FaceOff’s list of the best remaining unrestricted free agents still has some notable names hanging around, including Giroux, who ranked third when the list was first published on 7/6. The group is heavy on older players, with five who are 37 or older, and each comes with some kind of question mark, whether it is age, health, or fit. It is a little surprising, though, to see Logan Stanley and Eeli Tolvanen still unsigned.
There is also the Dylan Larkin situation to keep an eye on. According to Helene St.
James, the Detroit captain has not expanded his destination wish list, and the confirmed teams remain Vegas, Minnesota, and Florida. With Vegas and Florida currently Capmaxxing, Steve Yzerman’s options remain tightly constrained.
The NHL will announce next season’s schedule on July 15, giving teams and fans a chance to start mapping out the 84-game slate. That adds up to 1,344 games across the league.
And for anyone tracking old offer-sheet chaos, the Leo Carlsson situation is a reminder that the Philadelphia has gone down this road before. The Chris Gratton saga is worth revisiting, and it also ties in Rod Brind’Amour and, to an extent, Jacob Markstrom, both of whom are in the news now.
In Other News...
Lightning Fan Oleg Kulebiakin Is Finally Getting His Shot In Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay used a second-round pick on 18-year-old Russian forward Oleg Kulebiakin, a longtime Lightning fan who grew up admiring Nikita Kucherov and now gets a chance to build his own path in the organization. The selection carried a little extra meaning for a player who has followed the club closely, and it gave him a first real taste of life around the team when he met Kucherov during Development Camp.
Julien Brisebois has already been asked about the inevitable comparisons, and the Lightning general manager made clear that the organization is more interested in Kulebiakins own game and the habits that will shape it. For Tampa Bay, the intrigue is obvious: a young winger with a fans perspective, a high-end scorers resume, and the sort of connection to the franchise that makes every next step feel a little more personal. [Read more 🡒]