CHL allegedly putting pressure on teams to ban Russian, Belorussian minors from upcoming draft

With the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia likely not ending anytime soon, it seems to be having a bigger impact on hockey than anyone could have imagined. Russian players in the NHL have already been pulled from popular brands, and the IIHF removed Russia from its organization. Now, the domino effect has brought it all the way down to minor hockey players in the CHL.

According to hockey agent Dan Milstein, seven CHL teams have explained that they have been "bullied" and have been pressured to vote to ban Russian and Belorussian minors from the CHL's upcoming draft.

Milstein claims team owners and GMs are calling with so-called "private" support and disbelief at the nonsense and irrational thinking of the CHL. The problem is that these owners will not comment publicly, due to fear of punishment from the CHL. Executives around the league do not believe that 17-year-old kids should be punished based on where they are born over something they have no control over.

The CHL Draft will take place this summer, and hopefully this conflict can be resolved before then. The league is the umbrella organization for the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Part 1: As confirmed by 7 teams: The CHL has bullied and put pressure on teams to vote to ban Russian and Belorussian minors from the Canadian Hockey League upcoming draft. Continued— Dan Milstein-Hockey (@HockeyAgent1) March 26, 2022

Part 2: Team owners and GMs are calling with «private» support and disbelief at nonsense but they won't comment publicly out of fear. The 17 year old kids should not be punished based on birth place for something they don't control.— Dan Milstein-Hockey (@HockeyAgent1) March 26, 2022

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