Is Alex Ovechkin in the Olympics?

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The 2018 Winter Olympics is typically that time of year NHL players leave to represent their country. No hockey player is more patriotic than Alex Ovechkin, who’s basically an ambassador for Russia at this point. He loves playing for his country and, like many Russians, views it at as a true honor and privilege.

However, because of a disagreement between the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) and the NHL, Ovechkin, along with all NHL players, will not be at the 2018 Olympics. The Great Eight was extremely upset about it. Ovechkin even got the blessing of Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis to go represent his country, but the IIHF has made it clear that they wouldn’t allow any NHL players, even those granted permission to go, to play.

Russia will be forced to play under a neutral flag. So even if Ovechkin did go, he wouldn’t technically be representing his home country. This is due to the repercussions of Russia’s steroid use, promoted by its government.

Looking at the rosters, Russia probably has the best hockey team at the Olympics. They at least get to have a majority of their players from the KHL. While the KHL isn’t as good as the NHL, the competition level is comparable. However, Russia, who will technically be playing for the Olympic Flag, will have to win without most of their best players, or at least those who are in the NHL.

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Ovechkin will surely be rooting for his countrymen while he’s playing in the NHL. But sadly, he won’t be representing Russia at the Olympics. And neither will any NHL player. Maybe in the future, things will be different. But right now, it’s hard to know when, or if, we’ll see NHL players in the Olympics again.