PRAGUE — The NHL opened its common season in Prague final week with two World Collection video games between the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. Czech hockey legends had been prominently featured. Jaromir Jagr dropped the ceremonial first puck forward of the sport on Friday. Patrik Eliáš, the Devils’ all-time main scorer, was across the staff all week and dropped the puck for the second recreation of the sequence.
However one Czech hockey nice was notably absent. Dominik Hašek, the Corridor of Fame goalie who helped lead the Czechs to an Olympic gold medal in 1998 and one of many best gamers in Sabres franchise historical past, didn’t attend the video games or take part in any promotional supplies within the lead-up to the video games. Final Thursday, Hašek launched a press release on his X account condemning the NHL for permitting Russian gamers to play within the league whereas 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 debate his ongoing situation with the NHL.
Expensive residents, pricey hockey followers,
The brand new season of the NHL will begin tomorrow in Prague.
Which, as an individual for whom human lives are the primary place on the imaginary scale of values, I can not stay detached. Sadly, I’ve to state that this would be the third…
— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) October 3, 2024
“My motivation is big,” Hašek mentioned. “I take into account all the things I do on this subject to be vitally necessary. What is going on now in Russia, that’s, the Russian imperialist struggle in Ukraine and different crimes linked with it, is similar to what Hitler did within the Nineteen Thirties. And everyone knows how that turned out. This should not occur once more. And that’s the reason I’m making an attempt to publicly clarify to individuals all around the world what’s necessary and tips on how to act in order that the Russian struggle of aggression doesn’t unfold and ends as quickly as attainable. And naturally, the primary motivation is saving human lives. For me, human life all the time comes first.”
Russia escalated the struggle between the 2 nations in February 2022 when it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. That month, the NHL launched a press release condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and saying it had suspended relationships with companions in Russia. Hašek has made his emotions clear because the day Russia invaded. He wrote an e mail to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and mentioned he obtained solely a quick response. Within the years since, Hašek mentioned the league has made no effort to have a dialogue with him. The NHL declined to remark for this story.
Throughout that point, Hašek has referred to as for the NHL to pay billions of {dollars} to Ukraine as compensation and was 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 nation 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 voting. He’s taking the downtime to find out his subsequent step, however he needs to remain concerned in politics.
It wasn’t till 1989, when Hašek was 24, that the Czech Republic turned separate from the Soviet Union. Hašek is intimately aware of life beneath authoritarian rule. He doesn’t need his kids to know what that’s like. Hašek has a soon-to-be 3-year-old son, Honza, along with his present associate, and two grownup kids, Michael and Dominika, along with his ex-wife. Hašek returned to the Czech Republic after retiring from the Detroit Purple Wings to lift his kids in his residence nation.
Hašek additionally performed the ultimate yr of his profession within the KHL again in 2010-11. Putin has been both the prime minister or president of Russia since 1999, making him the longest-serving Russian chief since Joseph Stalin.
However whereas Hašek majored in historical past in school, he didn’t turn out to be keen on politics till after his taking part in profession ended. He has since turn out to be extra outspoken on sure points, together with this one.
Many in Czechia share Hašek’s fears and views, and for hockey followers, it extends past the NHL. In 2023, Rytíři Kladno, the Czech Extraliga staff owned by Jaromir Jagr, signed goalie Julius Hudacek, who was born in Slovakia however had spent the earlier season taking part in for a Kazakhstan-based staff within the KHL. Followers threatened to protest video games, and Kladno launched Hudacek days later.
That is the second time the NHL has come to Prague since Russia invaded Ukraine. The San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators performed right here in 2022, and every staff had a Russian participant on its roster. Whereas neither the Devils nor the Sabres introduced a Russian to the World Collection, Hašek nonetheless didn’t need to be a part of it. He thinks the NHL wants to talk publicly on the difficulty and never “bury its head within the sand.”
The NHL’s preliminary assertion after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 mentioned, “We additionally stay involved concerning the well-being of the gamers from Russia, who play within the NHL on behalf of their NHL Golf equipment, and never on behalf of Russia. We perceive they and their households are being positioned in a particularly tough place.”
The actual fact the NHL has not modified its place since that assertion is disappointing to Hašek.
Russia’s struggle in Ukraine will possible turn out to be a extra outstanding NHL storyline as Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s objective report. Ovechkin nonetheless has a photograph with Putin as his Instagram profile image and has not made any sturdy statements in opposition to the struggle. He hasn’t spoken concerning the struggle since 2022.
“I’m Russian, proper?” Ovechkin mentioned in 2022. “One thing I can’t management. It’s not in my palms. I hope (the struggle)’s going to finish quickly. I hope it’s going to be peace in each nations. I don’t management this one.”
Hašek mentioned he believes solely Russians who condemn the struggle needs to be allowed to play within the NHL. Nonetheless, he understands the tough place Russian gamers are in. Hašek lives in a free nation and isn’t an worker of the NHL, which he says offers him the liberty to talk his thoughts. It’s tougher for individuals who worry for his or her security or their household’s security, Hašek added. And even those that might face job loss or different financial repercussions based mostly on their phrases.
Hašek doesn’t place the blame on the person Russian gamers for not talking out.
“Guidelines should be set in order that Russian gamers have an incentive to return out publicly,” Hašek mentioned. “Some gamers might make the perfect peace ambassadors. Sadly, the NHL doesn’t assist the Russian hockey gamers one bit.”
The New York Rangers’ Russian star 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 struggle when he was a member of the Calgary Flames in 2023. He posted “No Conflict” on his Instagram account with the caption “Cease it!!!” He additionally did a two-hour interview with Russian journalist Yury Dud on YouTube wherein he defined his opposition to the struggle. Hašek felt the NHL didn’t provide him sufficient help.
“It should be mentioned that this can be a subject that individuals are very afraid to speak about publicly,” Hašek mentioned. “Within the Czech Republic, there may be nice worry of Russia, which our parliament has designated as a terrorist state. With Russia, we now have expertise on this course and, sadly, additionally victims. Individuals don’t understand how the state of affairs will develop and if Ukraine falls, we’re one of many different attainable victims.”
Hašek mentioned he want to hear extra ex-players converse out on the subject, as a result of they’re not depending on the NHL for work. He is aware of these aren’t simple conditions to navigate. He admitted to what he now views as a mistake of his personal final yr.
Final season, Hašek got here to Buffalo as a part of an annual go to to do charity work along with his basis, Hašek’s Heroes. Whereas on the town, he went to a Sabres recreation and took part within the begin of the sport by banging the drum to excite the gang. He nonetheless loves Buffalo and considers it top-of-the-line hockey cities in america. However he realized that even taking part in that approach went in opposition to what he had spoken about. Days later, he apologized on X.
Assertion on my participation within the occasion 01/18/2024 and to the general public and the media inquiries: On my annual go to (enterprise, charity) to Buffalo USA, I accepted an invite from my buddies to the @NHL recreation (1/18/2024). On the similar time, (proceed)
— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) January 23, 2024
“I take into account my participation within the match and its opening as my enormous mistake,” Hašek wrote. “Hereby, I need to apologize to all Ukrainian troopers and all Ukrainian people who find themselves heroically defending not solely their homeland, but in addition the entire of Europe in opposition to the imperialist enemy. And additional to the followers who supported me and proceed to help me and to everybody whom I upset with my act. I discover this private failure of mine very tough to excuse. I’ll strive even more durable to repair it. At this second, I can promise you {that a} related state of affairs is not going to occur once more. And that I’ll combat to the utmost and assist defend all the things that the Russian state-controlled terrorist regime assaults. And criticize all those that help it with their actions.”
Final week, Hašek did meet with Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and some others he is aware of from his time in Buffalo. He additionally met with the video staff for the Sabres’ web site to assist them with a venture they’re doing on his upbringing.
“I’ve little interest in breaking ties,” Hašek mentioned. “I’m keen on serving to the NHL as a lot as attainable with my conduct, and nothing is altering about that. In any other case, in fact, I can’t take part in any of the 2 matches, nor something associated to the beginning of this yr’s NHL. The reason being clear. I don’t need to be a part of an occasion that’s an commercial for the Russian struggle.”
(Photograph: Petr David Josek / AP Photograph)
