Washington Capitals icon Alex Ovechkin has appeared in a campaign ad in support of Russian president Vladimir Putin. The ad was a promotional campaign for Russia's ruling party.
Ovechkin, a Moscow native, has shown his support for Putin throughout his career, but his support for the Russian president is seen as more than just being patriotic. Given Russia's invasion of Ukraine back in February 2022, figures and fans across the NHL, particularly, aren't happy with this.
"Everyone in this photograph has chosen to officially support Russia's imperialist war in Ukraine," legendary goaltender Dominik Hasek posted on X. "Among them are also hockey player Ovechkin and former hockey player and national team captain Fetisov.
Because of each of them, many Ukrainians and Russians will be killed.
Hasek, who in the past has been critical of Ovechkin's ties to Putin, told DW Sports Media that"this advertisment is the biggest for the war, because (Ovechkin) is the most famous Russian player right now."
Others were just as critical of the Capitals star captain.
"You can have this great hockey player side-by-side a dictator and the NHL basically metaphorically and otherwise shrugs," former broadcaster Paul Romanuk told DW Sports.
"Alexander Ovechkin should not be allowed back into the USA, much less the @NHL. I hope the @Capitals do the right thing and immediately release him from their team," former NASA astronaut Terry Virts wrote on X.
In Czech, @jan_chobot wrote,"The team I hate more than the Leafs, and that's saying something," on X accompanied with a photo of the Capitals' logo.
Reacting to a post about Ovechkin hitting the ice again for the Capitals' informal skate, former sports writer Slava Malamud said,"The day after Ovechkin stars in a Putin propaganda ad alongside Russia's foreign minister, the Kremlin propaganda chief and a bunch of war criminals (including Putin's child kidnapper in chief indicted by the ICC), NHL's slavering state media has this to say:"
On Monday morning, the Capitals posted a photo of right winger Tom Wilson smiling at Washington's captain. The caption read,"how we’re all looking at the big man today."
Replying to that post, Norm Ornstein, contributing editor of The Atlantic, said,"That’s not how all of us are looking at him today. We’re looking at him with utter contempt.
He is an awful human being.
In terms of Russia's current status with the NHL, there seems to be a softer stance on not allowing any Russian participation in international competitions.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was asked about the 2028 World Cup of Hockey and whether Russia will be participating in the tournament.
"There are going to be eight country, states, or teams. We've made that clear," Daly told TheHockeyNews.com this off-season.
"To some extent, we are waiting a little bit to see what happens geopolitically with the Russian state. I don't think we're tied necessarily to where the IIHF is, or the IOC for that matter, but the IOC certainly has softened its stance with respect to Russian participation.
That's become clear.
"I think the sands are still shifting a little bit. Obviously, at some point we're going to have to make announcements and decisions, so I'd say that continues to be a work in progress."