Russia is back in IIHF play, and the World Juniors are first

The IIHF spent four years keeping Russia out on safety grounds, and on Friday a sports court told it that a feeling isn't evidence. That makes the World Juniors in Alberta the first test, eight weeks from now, and the IIHF has no plan for it yet.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the IIHF decisions that excluded Russia from this season's events. The panel found the federation's safety and security arguments weren't backed by enough evidence. Russia has been out of IIHF play since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and it missed both Olympic tournaments this year.

Where it lands first

The World Junior Championship opens Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer. That's the first IIHF event on the calendar with a Russian door now open, in a Canadian rink, on Canada's holiday tournament.

The men's worlds come next, in Germany in May, and that one is a mess. The draw is done. Ukraine qualified for the first time in 20 years and is the lowest-ranked of the 16 teams. There's no clean way to add a 17th team, and bumping Ukraine to make room would be a disaster of its own.

The German federation already said no. "Allowing Russia in has significant security, political and financial consequences for us as hosts," chairman Frank H. Lutz said. That's the new IIHF president's home country, too. Franz Reindl just took the job, and this landed on his desk first.

The order covers the women's game as well. The women's worlds come to Canada next year, and the under-18 worlds go to Minnesota and the Czech Republic in 2027.

What the ruling didn't say

It didn't say whether Russia plays under its flag and anthem, or as neutral athletes. It didn't mention Belarus, which the IIHF shut out for the same reasons. Those are the fights still coming.

The IIHF said it "maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants," and that it will follow the ruling anyway. It called the next step "practical arrangements." Russia's sports minister, Mikhail Degtyaryov, called the ruling final and not subject to appeal.

The hockey part

Russia has 27 men's world titles counting the Soviet years, one behind Canada, and hasn't won gold since 2014. Since 2022 its national teams have played development rosters against Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The talent never went anywhere. Kirill Kaprizov has 14 goals in 15 games for Minnesota, per NHL data, and Mikhail Sergachev has a six-game point streak in Utah by our count. A best-on-best Russia is a top-three team on paper the day it walks back in.

The Ferda take

The IIHF lost this on paper, not on principle. It argued a risk it couldn't document, and now it has to build a tournament format in eight weeks that it should have been planning since the appeal was filed.

Our call: Russia is entered at the World Juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer, under neutral colors, and the real fight moves to Germany, where a host federation has already said no.

The Room reacts

Gord Tremblay: A Canada-hosted World Juniors just became the most political hockey tournament since 2022. Hockey Canada's choice is between a fight it can't win in court and a Boxing Day it didn't plan for.

Tommy Kessler: If Russia's juniors are entered, the 2027 draft class gets a stage it wasn't counting on. Kids who've only played at home would get a December audition on Canadian ice.

Meg Halloran: The women's program is under the same order, and nobody has said a word about it yet. That silence won't last to the spring.