Dom Hasek calls for contract suspension for every Russian NHL'er

[Flame On]

On the one hand, no we shouldn't be universally be condemning all Russians.

However, there's a big difference between limiting Russian's in a free-market way and rounding them up into camps. Why is everything about badges and camps?

[Bleeding Red]

Isn't Ovechkin's entire family in Russia - including a wife & kid?

If so, then you toe the party line or they get a visit in the middle of the night.

Kind of like the Chinese tennis star - she said something the Party didn't like and wasn't heard from for a month (re-education classes?) then change her story just before the Olympics?

Really can't judge unless you're in their shoes.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

Isn't Ovechkin's entire family in Russia - including a wife & kid?

If so, then you tow the party line or they get a visit in the middle of the night.

Kind of like the Chinese tennis star - she said something the Party didn't like and wasn't heard from for a month (re-education classes?) then change her story just before the Olympics?

Really can't judge unless you're in their shoes.

Yes. But Ovie has always gone above and beyond to support him, way more than other players. He’s publicly crowed about their relationship. Panarin has actually campaigned against Putin.

“Toe” the line, BTW.

https://www.newsweek.com/top-putin-s...owdown-1682410

[Bleeding Red]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Yes. But Ovie has always gone above and beyond to support him, way more than other players. He’s publicly crowed about their relationship. Panarin has actually campaigned against Putin.

“Toe” the line, BTW.

https://www.newsweek.com/top-putin-s...owdown-1682410

Fixed. Thanks.


I recall pics of them together with wide smiles.

I'm just saying I don't think you can call him (or other Russian players) a "pos" because they don't get on CNN and say bad things about Putin. There may be consequences we don't understand.



In that press conference Ovi didn't say "Putin has the right....", he said "I have no control over that". I don't think his soft stand translates to "yay, war".

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

Fixed. Thanks.


I recall pics of them together with wide smiles.

I'm just saying I don't think you can call him (or other Russian players) a "pos" because they don't get on CNN and say bad things about Putin. There may be consequences we don't understand.



In that press conference Ovi didn't say "Putin has the right....", he said "I have no control over that". I don't think his soft stand translates to "yay, war".

Right now I think asking Ovechkin questions is a waste of time anyway. No Russians are condemning Putin, for obvious reasons, so why would he. They all say “no war”, which they can later claim can be taken as just wanting Ukraine to give up as much as for Russia to leave. It’s about as far as they can go.

[jlh2640]

While I love the fact he is so vocal and supportive of Ukraine. The suspend all Russians make him look ridiculous and clouds the message of what he’s saying.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by jlh2640

While I love the fact he is so vocal and supportive of Ukraine. The suspend all Russians make him look ridiculous and clouds the message of what he’s saying.

It is messed up, and guilt by association, especially since a lot of them don’t even live there part time. I’m betting Zadorov isn’t a supporter - he seems pretty aware.

[BoLevi]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

Your right the players have done nothing. But it is pretty weird to issue Green cards to ppl from a country currently at war with your allies.

We should be giving green cards to any Russian who wants one. One of the best ways to get back at Putin is to start draining the talent away from Russia.

[dino7c]

Zadorov can stay

[Canada 02]

you might say OV is an Oven chicken s***

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Poster

US & Canada should revoke working & study visa’s for the high profile Russians such as athletes, politically connected and oligarch wealthy.

Send the elites back and freeze their US assets.

100% this.

It's one step further than kicking out the diplomats, and one that will hurt the people that support Putin.

Kick them out and take their sh*t.

[simmer2]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think it’s been pretty clear that they are buddies. I think that story demonstrates it, not that Putin was threatening him. It’s been years of it. Putin gives him present, Ovie has Putin’s phone number, started a supporters group for him in the NHL, etc. Panarin took the opposite stance, BTW.

What I do think is that right now people shouldn’t be asking Ovechkin for statements.

Putin has shown he is an extreme, scary dictator. I don't think this is a case of Ovi 'really liking the guy'.

I think it has more to do with Ovi gets told what to do and does it, out of absolute fear of retribution. If Ovi's family is in Russia, he is likely doing what is needed to keep them safe.

Easy to throw someone under a bus, much harder to be in their shoes having a dictator of a country calling you.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Dinamo Riga has suspended play for the rest of the season, making Emile Poirier and Hunter Shinkaruk available.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by simmer2

Putin has shown he is an extreme, scary dictator. I don't think this is a case of Ovi 'really liking the guy'.

I think it has more to do with Ovi gets told what to do and does it, out of absolute fear of retribution. If Ovi's family is in Russia, he is likely doing what is needed to keep them safe.

Easy to throw someone under a bus, much harder to be in their shoes having a dictator of a country calling you.

Ovi totally likes the guy. Everything he has shown is the past makes this very clear. Let's not make excuses for a guy who is clearly good friends with a horrible dictator.

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, Ovechkin enjoyed the spoils of hobnobbing with a powerful Dictator. He can endure the shame of that association now. Putin being evil is not new.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Ovi totally likes the guy. Everything he has shown is the past makes this very clear. Let's not make excuses for a guy who is clearly good friends with a horrible dictator.

Nothing is 'clear'. Russia hasn't had anything resembling democracy, liberty, or free speech for the vast majority of Ovechkin's lifetime. He is from a different world from the one where we live in. The same world where a young Evgeny Malkin's ice hockey team once took his passport away from him to keep him from leaving the country and becoming an NHLer.

[Gaskal]

Wouldn't suspend Ovi's contract... I'd just give him the 'NHL sanctions' like Kaprizov got last night

2 minutes for getting punched in the face
2 minutes for getting slashed repeatedly
2 minutes for eating a cross check to the teeth
2 minutes for getting high sticked
5 minute major for getting slewfooted
10 minute misconduct for complaining about any of the above

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Nothing is 'clear'. Russia hasn't had anything resembling democracy, liberty, or free speech for the vast majority of Ovechkin's lifetime. He is from a different world from the one where we live in. The same world where a young Evgeny Malkin's ice hockey team once took his passport away from him to keep him from leaving the country and becoming an NHLer.

No doubt Ovechkin has been influenced to like Putin. But the people saying all of his past expressions of admiration are because of threats are engaging in huge speculation to explain away actual events. Putin is a scary guy who doesn’t shy away from killing or harming political opponents or reporters who threaten him. But I don’t see why he’d do that just to get a hockey player to say he liked him.

Occkham’s Razor.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think it’s been pretty clear that they are buddies. I think that story demonstrates it, not that Putin was threatening him. It’s been years of it. Putin gives him present, Ovie has Putin’s phone number, started a supporters group for him in the NHL, etc. Panarin took the opposite stance, BTW.

What I do think is that right now people shouldn’t be asking Ovechkin for statements.

All I can say is Trotz had the feeling that Ovechkin had little choice but to do what he was told.

Didn't seem like a buddy situation from the story I was told.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

All I can say is Trotz had the feeling that Ovechkin had little choice but to do what he was told.

Didn't seem like a buddy situation from the story I was told.

Obviously I didn’t hear it but what you wrote suggested that Ovie dumped his teammates for Putin.