According to Kremlin, US President Donald Trump supports Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to organize matches between NHL and KHL players.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed on Tuesday during a long call. They also discussed the organization of hockey matches between the players of the countries, says AP.
Moscow said in a summary of the call that Trump supported Putin’s idea to organize matches in the United States and Russia, where the NHL and KHL players would play.
After a one and a half hour call, Kreml announced that Trump and Putin would continue to communicate, taking into account the topics of the discussion.
The White House report in the call between the principals did not mention hockey discussions.
“We have been informed of the discussion between President Trump and President Putin,” NHL said in a statement sent to AP news agency.
– We were not parties to these discussions and it would not be appropriate to comment at the moment.
US Ice Hockey Union USA Hockey did not immediately respond to the request for comment sent to it.
Hockey unites the twin
Trump made a personal call to the US hockey team in the NHL’s four-country tournament last month before the finals, which ended with a 2-3 overtime loss to Canada.
The US national anthem was boomed in Montreal during an international tournament after Trump’s repeated comments, in which he proposed “51 state” from Canada to the United States and placed duties that triggered a trade war between North American neighbors.
Putin’s love for hockey is widely known. He was watching the Russian and US series match at the 2014 Sochi Olympics with an American Tj oshie solved in the penalty shot.
The competition between countries on the ice dates back to the 1980 “Miracle On Ice” match, when the US amateur group won a big favorite in the Soviet medal match on his way to Lake Placid in the Olympic gold.
NHL has allowed Russian ice hockey players in their league, the most famous Washington Capitals Alexandr Ovetshkinwho chases Wayne Gretzky Legendary paint record.
The NHL Players’ Association and the League are planning to organize the Ice Hockey World Cup in 2028. It is not yet clear whether the Russian part of the tournament is yet.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the executive director of the player association Marty Walsh have given positive statements about Russian players.