PRAGUE-The NHL opened its regular season in Prague last week with two Global Series games between Buffalo swords And New Jersey Devils. Czech hockey legends were in the spotlight. Jaromir Jagr dropped the ceremonial first puck before Friday’s game. Patrik Eliáš, the Devils’ all-time leading scorer, was with the team all week and dropped the puck for the second game of the series.
But a great Czech hockey player was notably absent. Dominik Hašek, the Hall of Fame goalie who helped the Czechs win an Olympic gold medal in 1998 and one of the greatest players in Sabers franchise history, did not attend the games or participate in any promotional materials before the games. Last Thursday, Hašek posted a statement on his X account condemning the NHL for allowing Russian players to play in the league as Vladimir Putin continues Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Friday afternoon, a few hours before Jagr dropped the first ceremonial puck, Hašek met Athletics to discuss his ongoing problem with the NHL.
Dear citizens, dear hockey fans,
The new NHL season will begin tomorrow in Prague.
And as a person for whom human life is the first place on the imaginary scale of values, I cannot remain indifferent. Unfortunately, I must point out that this will be the third…
– Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) October 3, 2024
“My motivation is huge,” Hašek said. “I consider everything I do on this topic to be of vital importance. What is happening in Russia now, that is, the Russian imperialist war in Ukraine and other related crimes, is very similar to what Hitler did in the 1930s. of Russian aggression does not spread and end as soon as possible And of course, the main motivation is saving human lives For me, human life always comes first.
Russia escalated the war between the two nations in February 2022 by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That month, the NHL issued a statement condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and announcing that it had suspended relations with its partners in Russia. Hašek has made his feelings clear since the day of the Russian invasion. He wrote an email to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and said he received only a brief response. Hašek has since said the league has made no effort to engage with him. The NHL declined to comment for this story.
During this period, Hašek demanded that the NHL pay billions of dollars to Ukraine in compensation and was outspoken about Russian athletes. be allowed to participate in the Olympic Games. Russian participation in the NHL serves as publicity for what the country is doing and improves Russian morale, he said.
Hašek also ran for senator in Czechia this year. In September, Hašek failed to pass the first round of voting. He’s taking time to figure out his next step, but he wants to stay involved in politics.
It was not until 1989, when Hašek was 24, that the Czech Republic separated from the Soviet Union. Hašek knows life under an authoritarian regime very well. He doesn’t want his children to know what it is. Hašek has an almost 3-year-old son, Honza, with his current partner, and two adult children, Michael and Dominika, with his ex-wife. Hašek returned to the Czech Republic after retiring Detroit Red Wings raise your children in your country of origin.
Hašek also played the final year of his KHL career in 2010-11. Putin has been either prime minister or president of Russia since 1999, making him the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.
But even though Hašek majored in history in college, he didn’t become interested in politics until after his playing career ended. Since then, he has become more outspoken on certain issues, including this one.
Many in the Czech Republic share Hašek’s opinion fears and views, and for hockey fans, that extends beyond the NHL. In 2023, Rytíři Kladno, the Czech Extraliga team owned by Jaromir Jagr, signed goaltender Julius Hudacek, who was born in Slovakia but had spent the previous season playing for a Kazakhstan-based team in the KHL. Fans threatened to protest the matches and Kladno released Hudacek a few days later.
This is the second time the NHL has come to Prague since Russia invaded Ukraine. THE San Jose Sharks And Nashville Predators played here in 2022, and each team had a Russian player on their roster. Even though neither the Devils nor the Sabers brought a Russian to the Global Series, Hašek still wanted no part of it. He believes the NHL needs to speak out publicly on the issue and not “bury its head in the sand.”
The NHL’s initial statement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 read: “We also remain concerned for the well-being of Russian players, who play in the NHL on behalf of their NHL clubs, not on behalf of Russia. We understand that they and their families are placed in an extremely difficult position.”
The fact that the NHL has not changed its position since this statement is disappointing to Hašek.
Russia’s war in Ukraine will likely become a bigger storyline in the NHL as Alex Ovechkin continues Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record. Ovechkin still has a photo with Putin as his Instagram profile picture and has made no strong statements against the war. He has not spoken about war since 2022.
“I’m Russian, aren’t I?” Ovechkin said in 2022. “Something I can’t control. It’s not in my hands. I hope (the war) will end soon. I hope it will be peace in both countries. I don’t control that one.”
Hašek said he believed only Russians who condemn the war should be allowed to play in the NHL. However, he understands the difficult situation Russian players find themselves in. Hašek lives in a free country and is not an NHL employee, which he says gives him the freedom to speak his mind. It is more difficult for those who fear for their safety or that of their family, Hašek added. Or even those who may suffer job loss or other economic repercussions because of their words.
Hašek doesn’t blame individual Russian players for not speaking out.
“Rules must be established so that Russian players are encouraged to come forward publicly,” Hašek said. “Some players could become the best ambassadors of peace. Unfortunately, the NHL does not help Russian hockey players at all.”
The Russian star of the New York Rangers Artémi Panarin has been openly against Putin in the past. Hasek also cited Boston Bruins defender Nikita Zadorova Russian who spoke out against the war when he was a member of the Calgary Flames in 2023. He posted “No War” on his Instagram account with the caption “Stop it!!! » He also interviewed for two hours Russian journalist Yury Dud on YouTube in which he explains his opposition to the war. Hašek felt that the NHL did not offer him enough support.
“It must be admitted that this is a subject that people are very afraid to discuss publicly,” Hašek said. “In the Czech Republic, there is a great fear of Russia, which our parliament has designated as a terrorist state. With Russia, we have experience in this sense and, unfortunately, also victims. People do not know how the situation will develop and if Ukraine falls, we will be one of the other possible victims.”
Hašek said he would like to hear more former players speak out on the subject, as they no longer rely on the NHL for their jobs. He knows these are not easy situations to handle. He admitted what he now sees as a mistake on his part last year.
Last season, Hašek came to Buffalo as part of an annual visit to do charity work with his foundation, Hašek’s Heroes. While in town, he went to a Sabers game and participated in the start of the game by banging the drum to get the crowd excited. He still loves Buffalo and considers it one of the best hockey cities in the United States. But he realized that even participating in this way went against what he had been talking about. A few days later, he apologized on X.
Statement on my participation in the event on 01/18/2024 and requests from the public and media: During my annual (business, charitable) visit to Buffalo USA, I accepted an invitation from my friends to @NHL Thu (01/18/2024). At the same time, (continue)
– Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) January 23, 2024
“I consider my participation in the match and its opening a huge mistake,” Hašek wrote. “I hereby want to apologize to all Ukrainian soldiers and all the Ukrainian people who heroically defend not only their homeland, but also the whole of Europe against the imperialist enemy. And in addition to the supporters who supported me and continue to support me and to all those whom I disappointed with my act. I find my personal failure very difficult to excuse. I will try even harder to remedy it. At this moment, I can promise you that a similar situation will not arise will reproduce more. And that I will fight to the fullest and help defend everything Russia from the attacks of the state-controlled terrorist regime and criticize all those who support it with their actions.
Last week, Hašek met Sabers coach Lindy Ruff and a few others he knows from his time in Buffalo. He also met with the Sabres’ website video team to help them with a project they are doing about his education.
“I have no interest in breaking ties,” Hašek said. “I want to help the NHL as much as possible with my behavior, and that doesn’t change anything. Otherwise, of course, I will not participate in either match, nor in anything related to the start of this year’s NHL. The reason is clear. I don’t want to be part of an event that is an advertisement for the war in Russia.”
(Photo: Petr David Josek / AP Photo)
