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Vladislav Tretiak, a former goaltender for Russia's national ice hockey team, talks with reporters at the Sochi International Airport where NHL hockey players are arriving for the 2014 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 10, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
By The Canadian Press

Tretiak says Russia will seek compensation if barred from world juniors in Alberta

Nov 12, 2026 | 2:09 PM

Russian hockey federation president Vladislav Tretiak says Russia will seek compensation from Canada if its team is barred from next month’s world junior championship in Alberta.

The threat follows Ottawa’s statement Wednesday that Russian players will not be permitted to compete, even if they already hold valid Canadian visas, despite last month’s Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling ordering Russia’s reinstatement to international hockey.

Russia’s state news agency TASS reported Thursday that Tretiak told a presidential sports council meeting Russia would demand compensation from Canada and Germany, host of the 2027 men’s world championship, if denied participation. He also threatened to push for the tournaments to be moved and seek sanctions against organizers.

Tretiak, a legendary Soviet goaltender and three-time Olympic gold medallist, told TASS the federation had asked the International Ice Hockey Federation’s ethics council to investigate and punish national federations organizing boycotts of games against Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the same sports council meeting that national federations were refusing matches against Russian teams under pressure from their governments, according to TASS, which did not identify the countries involved.

Several hockey federations, including Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Norway, have said their teams will refuse to face Russia. The world juniors begin Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press