Alex Ovechkin Skates Into Canada’s Ukrainian Enclave as a Scorned Star

“It’s not about punishing the Russian kids. What about the Ukrainian kids that are being killed daily? The Ukrainian kids that are 12 or 14 years old, going to war. I don’t want anybody to be punished. I just think it makes common sense that we shouldn’t compete against this country right now, while they’re at war against an innocent country.”

Last week, the N.H.L. condemned the Russian invasion in an official statement and said it was immediately suspending business relationships in Russia. The league suspended ties with the Kontinental Hockey League, which is largely based in Russia, this week. N.H.L. teams were told to stop communications with K.H.L. teams and agents based in Russia.

The N.H.L. statement also made clear the league’s position on Russian players, saying they “play in the N.H.L. on behalf of their N.H.L. clubs, and not on behalf of Russia.”

Milstein and other player agents said barring Russian N.H.L. players made no sense and would play into the hands of Putin, who continues the Russian government tradition of using elite athletes as propaganda.

The player agents also criticized the Canadian Hockey League, the umbrella group that oversees the three major junior leagues. The C.H.L. recently announced it canceled this year’s Russia-Canada series. It is also considering a ban on Russian and Belarusian prospects from its import draft, which distributes teenage players from countries outside North America to C.H.L. teams. Doing so, Milstein said, would essentially help Russia, which has reluctance over athletes playing elsewhere.

While some observers critical of Ovechkin, like the Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek, would like him barred for his support of Putin, others think suspending him and other Russians would not help the situation.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/sports/hockey/alex-ovechkin-putin-russia-ukraine-nhl.html