Yay NHL! Bravo, our brothers from Canada and the USA, fans of the great game. After the six Russians named by the NHL, fans chose three more Russians to the All-Star Game. We have never had such representation!
On the talk show “There is a topic!” on Match TV the other day, one sentence caught very well, extremely timely and correct. State Duma deputy Sultan Khamzaev, discussing Russia’s possible participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics, said: “Sport is tough competition. All those who are weak, cowardly in sports will boycott Russia, will defend isolation. Strong and powerful athletes who want the spirit of equal competition among equals will strive for Russia to be admitted to the Olympic Games.”
Golden words! This is exactly what is happening in the hockey world right now before our eyes. The NHL yells at the whole planet: it’s good to play dumb, without Russians any hockey tournament is worthless! Therefore, abroad, no one has the idea to somehow infringe on the envoys of a glorious sports power. On the contrary, they are protected in every possible way!
Take the latest case of Philadelphia defenseman Ivan Provorov, who refused to wear an LGBT-colored sweater to a pregame warmup. Immediately, Yaroslavets was publicly taken under the wing of Flyers coach John Tortorella, then the NHL issued a special official statement, and then the head of the league, Gary Bettman, also spoke with words of support.
Immediately after the start of the NHL, the NHL made it clear to everyone that, despite everything, it does not see the 2024 World Cup without Russia. Preparations for a potentially magnificent tournament that would have dwarfed the last two Olympic Games were going on as usual, despite all the attacks from Russophobes like the lunatic Hasek. Canada and the United States, as the dominant powers in modern hockey, want to fight their equals. That is, with the Russians. North American fans dream of the same.
But the weak Europeans do not need it. Without us, it’s easier to get on the pedestal. What the same Czech Republic did in the 2022 World Cup after a ten-year hiatus, and even reached the 2023 World Cup final. Here the Czechs, along with the Finns and the Swedes, refusing to play with the Russians in KM -2024, they twisted the arms of the NHL. Bettman had to give up and postpone the revival of the mega-tournament until better times.
Let me remind you that the World Cup in February 2024 was planned as a replacement for the NHL All-Star Game. It is clear that it is impossible to hold a tournament without the teams of the old world, especially since a qualifying group was supposed to play in Europe. It’s okay, you do not care about the interests of the fans of the ice game, who crave the battles of the national teams in the strongest squads, we will do what we want on our territory. That is, we will set a record for the number of Russians in the NHL All-Star Game!
Out of 44 players, nine will represent Mother Russia! And here there is no cheating. Well, the NHL had the support of the fans themselves, who, in addition to the 32 players named by the league (one from each team), determined by voting another 12 participants in the stellar weekend.
Thus, to the previously selected NHL picks Igor Shesterkin (“Rangers”), Alexander Ovechkin (“Washington”), Andrey Svechnikov (“Carolina”), Nikita Kucherov (“Tampa”), Vladimir Tarasenko (“St. Louis”), Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota) added to fan favorites Artemy Panarin (Rangers), Andrey Vasilevsky (Tampa), Ilya Sorokin (Islanders).
Now let’s take a look at the full roster for the All-Star Game, which will be hosted by Florida on February 4. Let’s see what countries they represent.
CAPITAL DIVISION
Goalkeepers: Igor Shesterkin (Rangers, Russia), Ilya Sorokin (Islanders, Russia).
Defender: Adam Fox (Rangers, USA).
Forwards: Alexander Ovechkin (Washington, Russia), Andrey Svechnikov (Carolina, Russia), Artemy Panarin (Rangers, Russia), Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh, Canada), Johnny Gaudreau (Columbus, USA), Kevin Hayes (Philadelphia, USA) , Jack Hughes (New Jersey, USA), Brock Nelson (Islanders, USA).
Russia – 5, USA – 5, Canada – 1.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Goalkeepers: Andrey Vasilevsky (Tampa, Russia), Linus Ullmark (Boston, Sweden).
Forwards: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa, Russia), Auston Matthews (Toronto, USA), David Pastrnak (Boston, Czech Republic), Dylan Larkin (Detroit, USA), Mitch Marner (Toronto, Canada), Nick Suzuki (Montreal, Canada) ), Tage Thompson (Buffalo, USA), Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa, USA), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida, USA).
Russia – 2, USA – 5, Canada – 2, Sweden, Czech Republic – 1 each.
CENTER DIVISION
Goalkeepers: Juuse Saros (Nashville, Finland), Connor Hellebikk (Winnipeg, USA).
Defenders: Kyle Makar (Colorado, Canada), Seth Jones (Chicago, USA), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg, Canada).
Forwards: Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis, Russia), Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota, Russia), Nathan McKinnon (Colorado, Canada), Mikko Rantanen (Colorado, Finland), Jason Robertson (Dallas), USA), Clayton Keller (Arizona, USA).
Russia – 2, USA – 4, Canada – 3, Finland – 2.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Goalkeepers: Logan Thompson (Vegas, Canada), Stuart Skinner (Edmonton, Canada).
Defender: Erik Karlsson (San Jose, Sweden)
Forwards: Connor McDavid (Edmonton, Canada), Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton, Germany), Beau Horvath (Vancouver, Canada), Matthew Beniers (Seattle, USA), Kevin Fiala (Los Angeles), Switzerland), Nazem Kadri ( Calgary, Canada) ), Elias Pettersson (Vancouver, Sweden), Troy Terry (Anaheim, USA).
Canada – 5, USA, Sweden – 2 each, Germany, Switzerland – 1 each.
It’s unbelievable, but the Americans (16 players) beat the Canadians (11)! Ours are third parties (9). With his stupid overtures, Hasek made everyone cross the ocean in such a way that only Pastrnak was called from his native Czech Republic to Florida. As well as from Germany and Switzerland. Plus three from Sweden and two from Finland.
So, decrepit old Europe, cowardly banning Russia, take a beating from the strong American people – all their countries en masse will put fewer people in the NHL All-Star Game-2023 than Great Rus alone!
Well, we definitely won’t root for the Pacific Division team, where our tough guys aren’t. Similar to the KHL, Florida will host a four national division mini-tournament in overtime format: three on three.
