Dominik Hasek is asking all Russian players to donate their NHL salary to help Ukraine
Anthony Scultore
|
Dominik Hasek is a Czechia native and has been very vocal on his feelings regarding the current situation involving Russia and the Ukraine. The legendary goalie who is known for making wildly impossible saves en route to two Stanley Cups and six Vezina Trophies has issued a challenge to all Russian-born players in the NHL.
Dominik Hasek ask Russian NHL Players to donate their salaries
On Wednesday, the 57 year-old took to social media again giving his latest feelings about the invasion.
“To all Russian players in the NHL,” Hasek began in a Twitter thread. “I would prefer to suspend you, because by performing on the ice, you are also advertising your country and its actions-war against the sovereign democratic country of Ukraine and its people, to whom you are causing terrible suffering.”
“However, the NHL has a different view at the moment. If you are not indifferent to the fact that the army of your country kills hundreds or thousands of people in Ukraine every day, I will ask you to show it,” he continued. “Officially donate every dollar from your contract to a humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people. Do it from the day the Russian army invaded Ukraine (02/24/2022). This will help to ease at least a little the suffering of Ukrainian children, women and men.”
Hasek finished his NHL career with a record of 389-223-82 (ties)-13(OTL) and a remarkable GAA of 2.20.
Hasek asked for the NHL to suspend all NHL players contracts
This is not Hasek’s first time calling out Russian hockey players.
While quoting a video of Alex Ovechkin’s requests for peace back in February, Hasek demanded the NHL and its owners terminate all Russian players contracts.
“The NHL must immediately suspend contracts for all Russian players!” Hasek writes. “Every athlete represents not only himself and his club, but also his country and its values and actions. That is a fact. If the NHL does not do so, it has indirect co-responsibility for the dead in Ukraine.”
Hasek noted that he is aware there are other Russian players, like the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin that have spoken out against Putin. However, they must be included in this as well.
“I also want to write, that I am very sorry for those Russian athletes, who condemn V. Putin and his Russian aggression in Ukraine,” he continued. “However, at the moment I also consider their exclusion a necessity.”
The NHL suspended all business partnerships in Russia and pausing its Russian language social and digital media in response. In addition, they have ceased communications with Russia’s top hockey league, the KHL.
Ovechkin advised not to change IG profile
Hasek’s initial comments were followed by reports that Russian players were facing harassment and threats. There was no direct link.
Hockey agent Dan Milstein, Ukrainian by birth, made the comments during an interview with ESPN on Tuesday.
“The discrimination and racism these Russian and Belarusian players are facing right now is remarkable,” Milstein told the network. “My own childhood home is being bombed as I speak to my friends back home. … But people are picking on the wrong crowd. I can speak on behalf of my clients: They want world peace like everybody else. They’re not being treated like that.”
He also asked NHL teams to beef up security for these players in response to the threat.
Alex Ovechkin, who is facing sustained heat for his support of Vladimir Putin was going to change his IG profile to a symbol of peace but was advised against it. His current IG profile photo is of him and Putin shaking hands.
“He was advised not to change his Instagram profile picture because it would not go over well in Russia,” David Shoalts wrote in the article, adding, “There was a plan to change the picture to a symbol for world peace after the news conference, but since Ovechkin’s wife, two children and parents are currently in Russia, it was decided the photo of him and Putin would stay.”
Washington Hockey Now
There’s been genuine concern for Russian players even remotely speaking out due to potential reprisal from Putin against their families back home.
