Flyers' Egor Zamula Comments on Russia's Ban from 2026 Winter Olympics

Flyers Egor Zamula, Matvei Michkov, Ivan Fedotov, and Nikita Grebenkin won't represent Russia in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. (Photo: Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images)

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula is one of many in and around hockey disappointed to see Russia, one of hockey's powerhouse nations, banned from competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Zamula and Flyers teammates Matvei Michkov, Ivan Fedotov, and Nikita Grebenkin will all have to wait until the next Olympic competition rolls around to have the opportunity to represent their nation again.

For old timers like Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, this is probably the end of the road for their Olympic days. And very little will change until the Russian invasion of Ukraine ends; that much is clear.

"Time will tell. Of course, I am upset. Maybe something will change. God willing, the hockey world is not so tough. All the Americans and Canadians want to play against us," Zamula remarked to Sport Day by Day, as quoted by Championat. "Hockey fans still want to see the Russian national team. The players want to compete with us. I believe that the best teams should play against Russians and Belarusians at the Olympics and the World Championship. Every child’s dream is to get to a big tournament. We will try to get there."

Zamula, 25, has never represented Russia at the senior level, though he does have extensive international experience from his time climbing the junior ranks.

The undrafted Flyers defenseman has three goals, 24 assists, and 27 points in 39 games for the Russian U17s and posted eight assists in 20 games during his time with the Russian U16s.

As for Zamula's Flyers teammates, Ivan Fedotov is banned from international play for another year anyway due to his breaching of his original Flyers contract when he signed with CSKA Moskva.

Michkov, meanwhile, holds Russia's record for most goals scored in the U18 World Championship with 12. That's also the second-most in a single tournament in its history, and it earned him MVP honors and his nation a Silver Medal.

Grebenkin, an unheralded talent, has limited international experience, though he did score a goal and an assist playing for the Russia 25 team last year.

The Flyers have Russians with all types of different playing backgrounds missing out on the 2026 Winter Olympics, but perhaps one day an amicable solution will be reached on the political level.