NHL

Washington Capitals star Evgeny Kuznetsov -- one of the biggest stars in hockey -- has been suspended from international play after testing positive for booger sugar.

... and after a video surfaced showing Evgeny in a hotel room with lines of white powder chopped up on a table, it's really no surprise to anyone.

Here's the deal ... back in May, the footage surfaced on social media showing Evgeny in a room with a woman with white lines on a table next to a rolled up dollar bill.

27-year-old Evgeny addressed the video at the time and insisted he had NEVER taken illegal drugs -- and neither the NHL nor the Washington Capitals took action.

But, the International Ice Hockey Federation -- which oversees everything from the Olympics to the World Championships -- does things a bit differently and on Friday they slapped Evgeny with a 4-YEAR SUSPENSION after the positive coke test.

In other words, he can't represent his home country, Russia, in international tournaments until 2023.

So, how will this affect his NHL career? It won't.

The NHL put out a statement saying, "Unlike the IIHF, cocaine is not considered a performance enhancing drug and is therefore not a Prohibited Substance under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program."

"Instead, it is considered a drug of abuse that is tested for and for which intervention, evaluation and mandatory treatment can occur in appropriate cases."

"Here, we understand that Mr. Kuznetsov has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL and NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program."

The NHL is working to get the "Jackie Robinson of Ice Hockey" the Congressional Gold Medal -- and Willie O'Ree tells TMZ Sports he's THRILLED to be considered for the recognition.

O'Ree is a sports legend -- he became the first African-American NHL player back in 1958 when he took the ice for the Boston Bruins.

There's a movement in Washington to bestow the honor to 83-year-old O'Ree -- and several NHL execs flew into the Capitol to help the cause.

FYI, the Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to people "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement."

It's akin to the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- one of the top honors a civilian can receive -- but the CGM are only awarded by acts of Congress. Only 8 athletes have ever received the award.

So, when we spotted O'Ree on Capitol Hill on Thursday, we asked what receiving the award would mean to him.

"It would rank right at the top, the highest award probably that I'll ever get as far as my lifetime. I'm thrilled and if it happens, I'll be very honored to come back and receive this award."

One of the driving forces behind the movement is Senator Tim Scott -- who introduced the legislation to get O'Ree the Medal.

Sen. Scott met with O'Ree on Thursday and told him, “Thank you for being a trailblazer in a sport that I would imagine, even today, people are unaware of the significant role that you played in opening the door."

O'Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year ... and the NHL named its annual Community Hero Award after him as well.

St. Louis Blues center Robby Fabbri's now serving spaghetti ... with a side of Stanley!!!

The NHL champion had his day with the cup Monday ... and he made sure to put it to use -- 'cause at a family cookout, he straight-up served his noodles inside the trophy!!!

It all went down in his hometown of Mississauga Ontario, where Robby took the Blues' newest award out for a spin.

The guy brought it to his old high school ... and then decided it needed a little parmesan and marinara at lunch time.

The meal looked great ... there were meatballs, spaghetti, salad and rolls. Even the family dogs loved it!!!

Of course, Robby also had some emotional moments with the cup ... he brought the (cleaned-out) trophy to his hospitalized grandpa during the day -- and the scene was pretty special.

Fabbri played in 32 games for the champs this season ... logging 2 goals and 4 assists -- and he also had the coolest celebration after the Blues won it all last month ...

File under: "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND!?"

NHL great Jeremy Roenick -- known for his crazy-powerful slap shot -- decided to tee up a golf ball in his caddy's mouth Thursday ... and the video -- taken by a fan -- is INSANE!!!!

It all went down at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe -- a celeb packed golf tourney.

Roenick was getting some practice in on the 7th hole when someone came up with the idea to put a tee in his caddy's mouth to see if the former Flyers star could pull off John Daly's famous party trick! 

Here's where it gets crazy ... the caddy was so nervous, he kept moving the tee around in his mouth, causing the ball to fall off multiple times while Roenick was getting ready to swing!!

But, the 49-year-old NHL great kept his composure ... kept his concentration ... and when it came time to swing, he CRUSHED IT! 

It might look easy, but do NOT try this at home -- we've seen stunts like this go south ... just as Playboy model Liz Dickson whose butt was obliterated by a radio DJ with a terrible swing. 

Luckily for JR's caddy, Roenick had better aim. 

Pro hockey players AJ Greer and Sonny Milano were arrested this weekend for allegedly beating up a guy ... this after the dude reportedly complained about a restaurant check. 

The two players -- who play for the Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively -- were taken into custody early Sunday morning in NYC and booked for assault. We're told they were both given desk appearance tickets, and are due in court at a later date.

According to reports, the altercation took place at a Manhattan apartment where a 28-year-old man claims they punched and kicked him. Some outlets are reporting that the guy was pissed about a bill from just hours earlier at 1 OAK, where the NHL players had been.

It's unclear what his gripe might've been, but he reportedly suffered jaw and rib pain, as well as injuries to his neck and bicep ... and refused medical attention after calling cops.

The Blue Jackets released a statement about Milano, saying they're aware of the situation and will be reviewing the facts without further comment. 

The woman who claims NHL star Evander Kane stiffed her out of $3 MIL for aborting his child was ordered to reveal her real name in court in order to proceed with the case ... so she's decided to unmask herself.

An L.A. County Superior Court judge ruled Hope Parker -- who had previously used the alias "Jane Doe" in her lawsuit against Kane -- cannot use the alias moving forward.

"There is no clear California law allowing her to remain anonymous," the judge said in a ruling.

But, instead of dropping the case and keeping her identity secret, Parker has filed new documents using her real name ... sending the message that she's not backing down.

As we previously reported, Parker claims she had been dating Kane on-and-off from 2015 to 2018 ... and says she had two abortions during that time.

But, Parker says when she got pregnant for a THIRD time with the San Jose Sharks forward ... she did NOT want to abort it -- until he offered her $3 million.

She claims she went through with the procedure ... but when but Kane never ponied up the cash -- she sued, seeking over $6 MILLION in her lawsuit.

Kane filed legal docs of his own back in 2018 essentially saying that since he's not accused of committing a crime, the accuser should not be able to hide behind an alias.

The strategy was pretty clear -- if the judge forced her to reveal her name, Kane believed she would be more likely to drop the suit out of fear of embarrassment.

But, that's not the case ... Parker is actively working to amend her lawsuit to add her real name, according to court docs.

The St. Louis Blues' Stanley Cup run will HELP the city's baseball team ... so says Cardinals manager Mike Shildt, who tells TMZ Sports the hockey champs have "inspired" his guys!!!

Of course, nobody gave the Blues a chance to win Lord Stanley back when the season began ... but they improbably made their way through the league to hoist the trophy Wednesday.

When we got Shildt out in NYC just a couple days later ... he told us the Blues' season is motivating as hell -- and the Cardinals are definitely taking notice!!!

"We're always inspired by great stories," Schildt says ... "And the Blues are a great story."

Schildt added, "[The Blues] had heart and grit and kind of represent the city of St. Louis."

Remember that adorable puppy the St. Louis Blues adopted during the season and occasionally let loose on the ice??

... LOOK AT HIM NOW, HE'S ALL GROWN UP AND HE'S A CHAMPION!!!

If you're unfamiliar ... the Blues picked up Barclay, a Labrador Retriever, way back when he was the cutest puppy ever in October.

They let him skate around ... they played with him ... and adorable times were had by all.

But, turns out, the good boy ended up being a good luck charm ... because he helped the Blues' win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history Wednesday night!!!

Now, STL is rewarding Barclay for the good job he did this season ... giving him a championship hat -- and lobbying for his name to be inscribed on Lord Stanley!

"Hey @NHL," the Blues wrote on Twitter on Thursday ... "Barclay was wondering if he gets his name on the Cup, too?"

Of course, Barclay won't be with the team for too much longer ... they say they're training him to be a service dog that will eventually leave the team to help people in need.

Sad he won't be around the ice anymore? Here's some photos of baby Barclay that'll cheer you up ...

AWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who chugs Pappy Van Winkle straight from the bottle!?!?!

... STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS DO!!!!

Just ask St. Louis Blues center Robby Fabbri -- who grabbed a bottle of the ultra-rare Pappy Van Winkle rye and slammed it right after beating the brakes off the Boston Bruins!

FYI, Pappy Van Winkle products are the most sought-after whiskeys in the world ... a bottle of PVW Rye can run you about $1,200 -- and that's if you can even find one in the first place!!!!

Most people sip this stuff by the glass ... and that ain't cheap either!

But screw it, it's the Cup and Fabbri was ready to party!

Back in the locker room, the players went crazy too -- and even took a low key shot at the Bruins by playing "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys as they poured beers into the trophy.

It was a quick party for the Blues ... they hopped on the plane to get back to the fans with the shiny, new hardware ... and the Blues supporters lost their minds.

St. Louis Blues fans went absolutely bonkers after winning the first title in franchise history ... hitting the streets and attacking anything with wheels!!

The Blues finished off the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final ... and the fans flooded the streets and hit the roofs of OCCUPIED cars to celebrate ... and tried their best to knock over a golf cart.

The fans kept the party going all night ... which is a great thing, 'cause the players showed up early Thursday morning with their new friend, Lord Stanley!!

The Blues players wasted no time getting back to the home crowd, celebrating in the locker room briefly before hoppin' on their jet and flying to St. Louis.

But don't worry, they also had their fun on the ice as well before going home ... Robby Fabbri was CHUGGING whiskey straight out of the bottle like a boss.

Team captain Alex Pietrangelo showed off the trophy while the fans went crazy ... despite it being 4:30 in the morning.

Sin City found God on Friday ... 'cause a Las Vegas Golden Knights fan delivered a custom jersey to Pope Francis -- and the holiest guy on earth LOVED it!!!

Unclear why a man came to the Vatican bearing the NHL gift ... but when he did -- and the pictures became public -- the Knights were thrilled, tweeting of the moment, "OMG!"

The jersey is awesome ... it's a custom sweater featuring the name "Pope Francis" on the back.

Of course, the Knights are officially done this season -- the Sharks took care of them in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a super controversial, down-to-the-wire game 7 finish.

12:07 PM PT -- Vladimir Putin FELL DOWN HARD while skating around the rink following the game.

Putin clearly didn't see the red carpet on the ice and when he hit it, Vlad fell face first.

One of his teammates tried to warn him but to no avail.

Thoughts and prayers for whoever put the carpet down ...

It's that time of year again ... when Russian president Vladimir Putin straps on the skates and plays ice hockey with a bunch of his famous countrymen, including ex-NHL players.

And, how did ol' Vlad do???

TOTAL DOMINATION, COMRADES!!!

Of course, it's easy to score on opponents who are in constant fear of being sent to the gulags ... but hey, PUTIN!!!

The 66-year-old crushed his enemies right from the initial puck drop ... posting 8 goals in the annual exhibition match alongside ex-NHL stars Slava Fetisov and Pavel Bure.

Hey, last year Putin only scored 5 goals -- so he's getting better!!!

Putin's teammate -- Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu -- scored 3 goals in the 14 to 7 victory.

The opposing team had some notable players too -- including Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin and Putin's longtime pal, Gennady Timchenko.

Lindsey Vonn made it clear to all ... retired athletes can stay super fit.

Lindsey and BF P.K. Subban hit the sand Saturday afternoon in Miami Beach, and we're guessing every step she took had to be carefully calculated.

Gotta say ... the one piece is amazing -- a feat of fabric.

The 34-year-old Olympian retired in February after the 2019 World Championship in Sweden. Lindsey has suffered some really serious injuries during her career, but she's clearly not worse for wear.

In case you didn't know, P.K. plays on the Nashville Predators hockey team.

Wayne Gretzky says he WANTS Alex Ovechkin to pass his all-time goals record ... telling TMZ Sports it would be GREAT for hockey!!!

"If he breaks it," The Great One says ... "I'll be the first guy there to shake his hand."

Of course, Gretzky owns the NHL's all-time mark for goals scored with 894 ... but Ovie ain't that far behind with 658.

In fact, if the 33-year-old Washington Capitals superstar averages 33.7 goals per season for the next 7 years ... he'd tie Gretzky by the time he's 40.

Doesn't seem like TOO difficult of a task -- Ovie's NEVER scored less than 32 goals in his entire 14-year career!!!

As for Ovechkin, he says he's actually gunnin' for the record -- telling NHL.com earlier this year, "I'm going to try to do it."

By the way, while we were on the subject of records ... Gretzky also told us he thinks Tiger Woods has a "great chance" to catch Jack Nicklaus' majors mark.

Wayne Gretzky ain't exactly up in arms about the punch Brad Marchand threw at the back of an opposing player's head Tuesday night ... telling TMZ Sports, "We've all been punched."

Marchand's been under fire -- some people calling the Bruins star a cheap shot artist -- after socking Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington in the 3rd period of Game 3.

Harrington was on his knees outside the crease when Marchand took a shot at the defenseless player -- before skating away before the refs could see what happened.

Despite the fact the dirty play was captured on video, Marchand is not expected to be punished by the league.

We asked "The Great One" if he thinks Marchand should face league discipline.

"First of all, that's not my prerogative. That's up to the National Hockey League," Gretzky said.

"What we have now in the NHL, we have great refereeing and analyzing what's best for the game and I'm sure the NHL will take care of it properly."

When we pressed on if Wayne thought the punch was dirty, he explained ... "I didn't see the game. You have to see the whole game to understand what happened."

Our guy replied, "What did you think of the punch though, was it cheap?"

Gretzky laughed and said, "We've all been punched!"

We also talked to Wayne about the Tampa Bay Lightning being swept in the 1st round of the NHL playoffs after tying the record for the greatest regular season in league history.

Ezekiel Elliott saw a kid get hit by a hockey puck at the Dallas Stars playoff game on Monday ... so he jumped into action and raced over to make sure the little boy was okay.

Don't worry, the kid appears to be fine -- and now he's got selfies with Zeke!

Unclear exactly when the kid was hit by the puck -- or how serious the impact was -- but Elliott (who's been a regular at the Stars games) made his way over to the boy in the 3rd period to check in on him.

The Dallas Cowboys superstar thought snappin' a pic with the youngster would help sooth the oncoming bruise ... and guess what?? IT DID!!

You can see in the video ... the boy cracks a smile as Zeke daps him up and busts out the phone for a few pics. His family seemed happy with the gesture too.

Elliott also made sure another fan who was hit by the puck ricochet got some love as well.

It's not like Zeke works for the Stars and was sent over by management to diffuse the situation -- just a famous guy who was trying to help out. Seems like it worked.