PRAGUE — The NHL opened its common season in Prague remaining week with two Global Series video games between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. Czech hockey legends have been prominently featured. Jaromir Jagr dropped the ceremonial first puck forward of the sport on Friday. Patrik Eliáš, the Devils’ all-time main scorer, used to be across the workforce all week and dropped the puck for the second one sport of the collection.
But one Czech hockey nice used to be particularly absent. Dominik Hašek, the Hall of Fame goalie who helped lead the Czechs to an Olympic gold medal in 1998 and one of the vital biggest gamers in Sabres franchise historical past, didn’t attend the video games or take part in any promotional fabrics within the lead-up to the video games. Last Thursday, Hašek launched a commentary on his X account condemning the NHL for permitting Russian gamers to play within the league whilst Vladimir Putin continues Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Friday afternoon, hours earlier than Jagr dropped that ceremonial first puck, Hašek met with The Athletic to speak about his ongoing factor with the NHL.
Dear electorate, pricey hockey fanatics,
The new season of the NHL will get started the next day in Prague.
Which, as an individual for whom human lives are the primary position at the imaginary scale of values, I can’t stay detached. Unfortunately, I’ve to state that this would be the 3rd…
— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) October 3, 2024
“My motivation is huge,” Hašek stated. “I consider everything I do on this topic to be vitally important. What is happening now in Russia, that is, the Russian imperialist war in Ukraine and other crimes connected with it, is very similar to what Hitler did in the 1930s. And we all know how that turned out. This must not happen again. And that is why I am trying to publicly explain to people all over the world what is important and how to act so that the Russian war of aggression does not spread and ends as soon as possible. And of course, the main motivation is saving human lives. For me, human life always comes first.”
Russia escalated the conflict between the 2 international locations in February 2022 when it introduced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That month, the NHL launched a commentary condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pronouncing it had suspended relationships with companions in Russia. Hašek has made his emotions transparent for the reason that day Russia invaded. He wrote an e-mail to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and stated he were given just a temporary reaction. In the years since, Hašek stated the league has made no effort to have a discussion with him. The NHL declined to remark for this tale.
During that point, Hašek has known as for the NHL to pay billions of greenbacks to Ukraine as reimbursement and used to be outspoken about Russian athletes being allowed to take part within the Olympics. Russians taking part within the NHL serves as an commercial for what the rustic is doing and improves morale in Russia, he says.
Hašek additionally ran for senator in Czechia this yr. In September, Hašek did not advance previous the primary spherical of balloting. He’s taking the downtime to resolve his subsequent step, however he needs to stick occupied with politics.
It wasn’t till 1989, when Hašek used to be 24, that the Czech Republic turned into break free the Soviet Union. Hašek is in detail conversant in existence beneath authoritarian rule. He doesn’t need his youngsters to grasp what that’s like. Hašek has a soon-to-be 3-year-old son, Honza, together with his present spouse, and two grownup youngsters, Michael and Dominika, together with his ex-wife. Hašek returned to the Czech Republic after retiring from the Detroit Red Wings to boost his youngsters in his house nation.
Hašek additionally performed the general yr of his profession within the KHL again in 2010-11. Putin has been both the high minister or president of Russia since 1999, making him the longest-serving Russian chief since Joseph Stalin.
But whilst Hašek majored in historical past in faculty, he didn’t turn out to be all in favour of politics till after his taking part in profession ended. He has since turn out to be extra outspoken on positive problems, together with this one.
Many in Czechia proportion Hašek’s fears and perspectives, and for hockey fanatics, it extends past the NHL. In 2023, Rytíři Kladno, the Czech Extraliga workforce owned via Jaromir Jagr, signed goalie Julius Hudacek, who used to be born in Slovakia however had spent the former season taking part in for a Kazakhstan-based workforce within the KHL. Fans threatened to protest video games, and Kladno launched Hudacek days later.
This is the second one time the NHL has come to Prague since Russia invaded Ukraine. The San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators performed right here in 2022, and each and every workforce had a Russian participant on its roster. While neither the Devils nor the Sabres introduced a Russian to the Global Series, Hašek nonetheless didn’t wish to be a part of it. He thinks the NHL wishes to talk publicly at the factor and no longer “bury its head in the sand.”
The NHL’s preliminary commentary after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 stated, “We also remain concerned about the well-being of the players from Russia, who play in the NHL on behalf of their NHL Clubs, and not on behalf of Russia. We understand they and their families are being placed in an extremely difficult position.”
The reality the NHL has no longer modified its place since that commentary is disappointing to Hašek.
Russia’s conflict in Ukraine will most probably turn out to be a extra distinguished NHL storyline as Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s objective document. Ovechkin nonetheless has a photograph with Putin as his Instagram profile image and has no longer made any sturdy statements in opposition to the conflict. He hasn’t spoken in regards to the conflict since 2022.
“I’m Russian, right?” Ovechkin stated in 2022. “Something I can’t control. It’s not in my hands. I hope (the war)’s going to end soon. I hope it’s going to be peace in both countries. I don’t control this one.”
Hašek stated he believes simplest Russians who condemn the conflict must be allowed to play within the NHL. However, he understands the tricky place Russian gamers are in. Hašek lives in a unfastened nation and isn’t an worker of the NHL, which he says provides him the liberty to talk his thoughts. It is more challenging for individuals who concern for his or her protection or their circle of relatives’s protection, Hašek added. Or even those that may face task loss or different financial repercussions in line with their phrases.
Hašek does no longer position the blame at the particular person Russian gamers for no longer talking out.
“Rules need to be set so that Russian players have an incentive to come out publicly,” Hašek stated. “Some players could make the best peace ambassadors. Unfortunately, the NHL does not help the Russian hockey players one bit.”
The New York Rangers’ Russian big name Artemi Panarin has been outspoken in opposition to Putin previously. Hašek additionally cited Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, a Russian who spoke out in opposition to the conflict when he used to be a member of the Calgary Flames in 2023. He posted “No War” on his Instagram account with the caption “Stop it!!!” He additionally did a two-hour interview with Russian journalist Yury Dud on YouTube by which he defined his opposition to the conflict. Hašek felt the NHL didn’t be offering him sufficient improve.
“It must be said that this is a topic that people are very afraid to talk about publicly,” Hašek stated. “In the Czech Republic, there is great fear of Russia, which our parliament has designated as a terrorist state. With Russia, we have experience in this direction and, unfortunately, also victims. People don’t know how the situation will develop and if Ukraine falls, we are one of the other possible victims.”
Hašek stated he want to listen extra ex-players talk out at the matter, as a result of they’re not dependent at the NHL for paintings. He is aware of those aren’t simple eventualities to navigate. He admitted to what he now perspectives as a mistake of his personal remaining yr.
Last season, Hašek got here to Buffalo as a part of an annual seek advice from to do charity paintings together with his basis, Hašek’s Heroes. While on the town, he went to a Sabres sport and took part within the get started of the sport via banging the drum to excite the gang. He nonetheless loves Buffalo and considers it one of the vital perfect hockey cities within the United States. But he learned that even taking part in that means went in opposition to what he had spoken about. Days later, he apologized on X.
Statement on my participation within the match 01/18/2024 and to the general public and the media inquiries: On my annual seek advice from (industry, charity) to Buffalo USA, I authorized a call for participation from my buddies to the @NHL sport (1/18/2024). At the similar time, (proceed)
— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) January 23, 2024
“I consider my participation in the match and its opening as my huge mistake,” Hašek wrote. “Hereby, I want to apologize to all Ukrainian soldiers and all Ukrainian people who are heroically defending not only their homeland, but also the whole of Europe against the imperialist enemy. And further to the fans who supported me and continue to support me and to everyone whom I disappointed with my act. I find this personal failure of mine very difficult to excuse. I will try even harder to fix it. At this moment, I can promise you that a similar situation will not happen again. And that I will fight to the maximum and help defend everything that the Russian state-controlled terrorist regime attacks. And criticize all those who support it with their actions.”
Last week, Hašek did meet with Sabres trainer Lindy Ruff and a couple of others he is aware of from his time in Buffalo. He additionally met with the video workforce for the Sabres’ site to lend a hand them with a undertaking they’re doing on his upbringing.
“I have no interest in breaking ties,” Hašek stated. “I am interested in helping the NHL as much as possible with my behavior, and nothing is changing about that. Otherwise, of course, I will not participate in any of the two matches, nor 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 Russian war.”
(Photo: Petr David Josek / AP Photo)
