“We are aware of the government’s position and must take it into account,” the NHL said in a statement to the AP news agency when asked whether the restrictions could affect future NHL games in Finland.
The Finnish government made the decision on Thursday - the same day Carolina and Seattle played the first of two games against each other in the Finnish capital, Helsinki. Visas will only be granted for short stays in Finland if deemed “necessary for Finland’s national interest,” according to the decision.
When the NHL regular season began last fall, 53 Russian players were on team rosters, accounting for 7.3 percent of all players in the league.
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