Andrei Vasilevskiy
FILE- Team Canada's Sidney Crosby skates on the ice during practice in Ottawa on on Sept. 5, 2016, in preparation for the World Cup of Hockey. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have abandoned plans to hold a World Cup of Hockey in 2024, according to a a joint statement Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, calling it not feasible to hold the tournament as they had hoped in February of 2024. The league and union say they hope to stage it in February 2025 and will continue to plan for that. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Russia-Ukraine war derails World Cup of Hockey plans for '24

By Stephen Whyno Nov. 11, 2022 03:27 PM EST

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) sprays water on his face during a timeout against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning 5/23/2022

May. 30, 2022 02:24 AM EDT

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period in Game 6 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Russians star in NHL playoffs as nation wages war in Ukraine

By Stephen Whyno May. 30, 2022 02:23 AM EDT

FILE - Russia forward Vladimir Tarasenko wraps the puck around the goal against Slovakia forward Branko Radivojevic in the first period of a men's ice hockey game at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. A handful of NHL players are voicing frustration over the decision not to allow them to go to the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing. Tarasenko said on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021, he would have gone if given the choice. Keeping the season going while allowing individual players to choose whether to go was not something that was ever considered.(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
NHL players vent frustration over being barred from Olympics

By Stephen Whyno Dec. 29, 2021 05:54 AM EST

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) celebrates a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during first-period preseason NHL hockey game action in Edmonton, Alberta, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)
NHL Preview: What to know about the 2021-22 season

By Larry Lage, John Wawrow And Stepen Whyno Oct. 11, 2021 02:23 AM EDT