from Emily Kaplan of ESPN,

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Russian-born players in the NHL have dealt with uncertainty, concern for the safety and well-being of loved ones back home, and harassment by fans, while being expected by some to speak out against their home country.

The league has also faced complex issues, including precarious cross-border travel and managing international relationships.

Simply put by one NHL GM: "It's the elephant in the room right now."

Added another GM: "This is a complicated situation that, quite frankly, a lot of us aren't qualified to speak on. And so out of respect for those players, we've kept the conversation out of the public sphere."

Here are some of the dynamics going on behind the scenes in the NHL as the war continues.

Last season, many Russian players declined to speak to the media altogether after the invasion. If Russian players did speak, it was nearly always under the agreement with journalists that there would be "no Russia questions."

Forty Russian-born players made opening night rosters in the NHL. (There are currently no Ukrainian-born players in the league.)

As locker rooms have reopened to the media this season, those players are more accessible. One Russian player told ESPN that he was in an "impossible situation."

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