2026 Olympics: Imagining the (banned) Team Russia roster

Dec 4, 2025, 10:30 ESTUpdated: Dec 3, 2025, 15:39 EST

Credit: Photo.KHL.Ru

All 12 nations participating in men’s hockey at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will be finalized by Dec. 31, with the teams’ GMs locking in 22 skaters and three goalies apiece.

Russia will not have the privilege of doing so; it remains banned from international competition by the IIHF and IOC on the grounds of its invasion of Ukraine.

Many, if not most of us, agree that the decision to keep Russia barred is a just one, politically. But from a hockey perspective, it does remove one of the elite contenders from the pool. Russia would’ve iced a strong medal contender for Milan if allowed.

What might that team have looked like? Steven Ellis and I took a crack at imagining the roster that could’ve been for the Olympics.

FORWARDS (14) – Matt Larkin’s picks

Alex Ovechkin	Evgeni Malkin	Nikita Kucherov
Artemi Panarin	Pavel Buchnevich	Kirill Kaprizov
Valeri Nichushkin	Ivan Barbashev	Kirill Marchenko
Nikita Gusev	Evgeny Kuznetsov	Andrei Svechnikov
Matvei Michkov		Ivan Demidov

It’s particularly challenging to project a Russian roster because (a) no nation is more political & less predictable with its player picks and (b) previous international tournament lineups might have foretold what we’d see, but the Russians haven’t competed in anything since the 2022 Beijing Olympics, when the nation was banned but the athletes were permitted to participate under the ‘Russian Olympic Committee’ banner. So there’s some guesswork with this forward group in terms of imagining which current KHLers would leapfrog NHLers to make the team.

This forward corps is absolutely loaded on the wings, with goal-scoring and playmaking ability to spare. I made a point of giving Kucherov and Panarin a triggerman on each of their lines in Ovechkin and Kaprizov, respectively. The third line of Nichushkin-Barbashev-Marchenko could be a defensive juggernaut and handle the toughest matchups. I like having youngsters Michkov and Demidov on standby in case the team needs a dynamic spark.

Biggest flex: The Russians are unbelievably shallow at center given their overall talent pool at forward, which is why Kuznetsov gets the call as a KHLer who hasn’t seen NHL duty since 2023-24. Gusev was previously an international fixture for Russia, named best forward at the (non-best-on-best) 2018 Winter Olympics, so I’ve carried him over from the KHL as well.

Toughest cut: I would’ve liked to put Dmitry Voronkov on this team and play him alongside his Columbus Blue Jackets linemate Kirill Marchenko, but the competition is so stiff on the wings. Underrated Vegas Golden Knights goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev was a casualty for the same reason. It felt weird cutting Vladimir Tarasenko, but he’s 33, his prime long gone.

Also considered: Pavel Dorofeyev, Dmitry Voronkov, Vladimir Tkachev, Vladimir Tarasenko, Maxim Shabanov, Vladislav Namestnikov

FORWARDS (14) – Steven Ellis’ picks

Artemi Panarin	Evgeni Malkin	Nikita Kucherov
Alex Ovechkin	Ivan Barbashev	Kirill Kaprizov
Kirill Marchenko	Pavel Buchnevich	Pavel Dorofeyev
Valeri Nichushkin	Konstantin Okulov	Dmitri Voronkov
Matvei Michkov		Ivan Demidov

While Kucherov and Kaprizov have been two of the NHL’s top forwards for a few years now, the Russians definitely missed out on seeing Ovechkin and Malkin playing huge roles in 2018 and 2022. Now near the end of their careers, they’re still playing decent hockey – but it still feels like an opportunity wasted.

There’s a ton of new blood beyond that, with the likes of Dorofeyev, Voronkov, Marchenko, Demidov, and Michkov making some serious noise. That’s decent wing depth, which makes up for a severe lack of center help. There aren’t many natural centers to choose from – Malkin is the only full-time NHLer on this list to play down the middle.

Biggest flex: Okulov has been excellent in the KHL this year, tracking for more than 70 points for the first time in his career. He also has a history of playing for Russia internationally, although his peak years have been since the ban was launched in 2022. If the Russians wanted to dip into the KHL to build their lineup, he’s the most obvious pick. Here’s a second flex: I didn’t take Kuznetsov, because it’s clear he’s struggling to keep up with the pace in the KHL.

Toughest cut: At first, I was going to say Svechnikov. But his struggles this year honestly made it an easier decision than I thought. So I’m going with Roman Kantserov, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect who is on pace for 45 goals in the KHL. Only two players of any age have managed to do that – Josh Leivo and Sergei Mozyakin.

Also considered: Roman Kantserov, Andrei Svechnikov, Vladimir Tkachev, Vladimir Tarasenko, Maxim Shabanov, Vladislav Namestnikov

DEFENSEMEN (8) – Matt Larkin’s picks

Mikhail Sergachev	Artem Zub
Vladislav Gavrikov	Ivan Provorov
Alexander Nikishin	Dmitry Orlov
Alexander Romanov	Nikita Zadorov

The good: Russia’s D-corps looks deeper than it was the last time it competed in best-on-best. It’s got a nice mix of size, mobility and physicality. The bad: it’s got no righthanders aside from Zub. Unless we force Ilya Lyubushkin up the lineup, we’re better off having some natural lefties slide over to the right. Provorov at least is used to doing so, and Zadorov has some experience there as well.

Biggest flex: Nikishin is a rookie, but he’s up for the task. Not only has he looked excellent with the Carolina Hurricanes so far this season, but he has plenty of street cred back home. Nikishin was dominant in the KHL, leading the league’s defensemen in scoring in 2022-23 and 2023-24. He even made the 2022 Olympic squad as a 20-year-old.

Toughest cut: Maybe I’m galaxy-braining, not bringing the actual righty Lyubushkin along, but I went with talent over positional comfort. I at least pondered Shakir Mukhamadullin since he plays with Orlov on the San Jose Sharks.

Also considered: Shakir Mukhamadullin, Ilya Lyubushkin, Pavel Mintyukov

DEFENSEMEN (8) – Steven Ellis’ picks

Mikhail Sergachev	Artem Zub
Dmitry Orlov	Ivan Provorov
Alexander Nikishin	Vladislav Gavrikov
Alexander Romanov	Nikita Zadorov

Defensive depth, for whatever reason, has never been a strength of Russia’s national team programs. Nikishin is the most notable Russian blueline prospect in quite some time, and he’s playing some excellent hockey with the Hurricanes right now. Fortunately, the crop is definitely stronger than it was in 2016, as Matt said, and they’ve got plenty of size to go around.

Biggest flex: Not sure if there is one here, to be honest. This group isn’t as strong as Canada’s, Sweden’s or the United States’, but it can get the job done.

Toughest cut: Lyubushkin would have made sense as a natural right-hand shot. I just don’t see him being a better option than just about anyone on this team. Romanov has dealt with some significant injury issues over the past few years, so maybe, naturally, Lyubushkin would have filled in for him. But if everything is equal, the Dallas Stars defender would be the odd man out.

Also considered: Ilya Lyubushkin, Pavel Mintyukov, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Damir Sharipzyanov

GOALTENDERS (3) – Matt Larkin’s picks

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Sergei Bobrovsky

Igor Shesterkin

The Russians may have an even better goaltending stable than the Americans. My trio has four Vezina Trophies and four Stanley Cups combined.

Biggest flex: Am I disrespecting two-time defending Cup champ Bobrovsky by slotting him behind Vasilevskiy? It’s a coin flip, but ‘Vasy’ has two Cups as well, and he’s back playing at a truly elite level over the past couple seasons now that he’s far enough removed from the back surgery that hindered him in 2023-24.

Toughest cut: Ilya Sorokin would start for every other team aside from USA, yet I couldn’t find a spot for him in Russia’s top three. That’s how loaded this team is in goal.

Also considered: Ilya Sorokin, Yaroslav Askarov, Pyotr Kochetkov, Daniil Isayev

GOALTENDERS (3) – Steven Ellis’ picks

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Sergei Bobrovsky

Igor Shesterkin

Outside of the United States, all three of these goalies could be starters on just about any other team. And the crazy part? Yaroslav Askarov has been the best Russian goalie as of late, and he’s not included above.

Biggest flex: I still trust Vasilevskiy in winner-takes-all scenarios, even if Bobrovsky has shown to be the hotter hand the past few years. I’ve loved Vasilevskiy this season, and I’m giving him the advantage.

Toughest cut: Matt said Sorokin, so I’ll go with Askarov. He’ll have a chance to be the No. 1 in 2030. For now, though, he’ll learn from home.

Also considered: Ilya Sorokin, Yaroslav Askarov, Pyotr Kochetkov, Sergei Murashov

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