Former Buffalo Sabers and Spartak goaltender Dominik Hasek commented on the words of Russian Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin about the fact that NHL clubs select players based on their skills and abilities and do not focus on nationality .
Previously, the former hockey player of the Czech national team periodically criticized the management of the National Hockey League for not abandoning Russian players in the context of political events.
“As a citizen of Russia, Ovechkin always represents his country and is an advertisement for its actions. By allowing Ovechkin and other Russian hockey players to play, the NHL is making a big splash. The league is responsible for this and will have to pay for it. The NHL should pay between $2 billion and $4 billion for each season in which Russian advertising appears,” Hasek writes on his social networks.
Since February 2022, Russian national athletes and teams have been suspended from participating in international competitions. Unlike many sports federations, the NHL management did not refuse to cooperate with hockey players from Russia.
