The Canadian Hockey League has cancelled this year’s Canada-Russia Series in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The CHL, which includes the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, announced the decision in a statement Wednesday.
The series featuring a team of Russian juniors in six games against CHL opposition — two games against an all-star team from each of the three leagues — was an annual November event since 2003.
The series was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Canadian Hockey League cancelled the 2022 Canada-Russia Series on Wednesday following a call to suspend Russian and Belarussian athletes from competitions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The CHL said a date and format for the 2022 import draft will be announced at a later date. Whether players from Russia or its ally Belarus will be eligible for selection remains to be seen.
“The Canadian Hockey League strongly condemns the recent actions by Russia involving military force in Ukraine and encourages a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” the CHL said in the release.