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Dominik Hasek still wants all Russian NHLers suspended, calls for donations

NHL icon Dominik Hasek isn’t done calling out the hockey world.

On Feb. 26, the legendary goaltender criticized one of the game’s biggest stars in Alex Ovechkin for his neutral observation of the Russian invasion into Ukraine, calling him a “chicken shi-” for not speaking up and specifically denouncing president Vladimir Putin.

That wasn’t enough for the 57-year-old Hall of Famer, as Hasek returned to Twitter to reiterate his opinion that the NHL should be suspending Russian players immediately. He also called for Russians in the league to donate all their earnings since the beginning of the invasion to humanitarian aid programs.

“To all Russian players in the NHL,” Hasek wrote. “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. And 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. This will help to ease at least a little the suffering of Ukrainian children, women and men.”

If it were up to Dominik Hasek, no Russians would be playing in the NHL right now. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
If it were up to Dominik Hasek, no Russians would be playing in the NHL right now. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

Earlier this week, the NHL announced it suspended all ties to Russian business partners and digital media, while also recently severing any communication to the KHL. Because of the attacks, one player agent has also claimed that his Russian clients have faced a number of death threats and harassment from fans.

Internationally, the IIHF removed the 2023 World Junior Championship from taking place in Russia, while also suspending Russia and Belarus from any competition as more hockey-related sanctions begin to form.

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