Dominik Hašek vs. the NHL: Why a legendary goalie shunned the International Sequence highlight

PRAGUE — The NHL opened its common season in Prague final week with two International Sequence 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, was across the workforce 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 biggest 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 an announcement 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 difficulty with the NHL.

Expensive residents, expensive 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’t stay detached. Sadly, I’ve to state that this would be the third…

— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) October 3, 2024

“My motivation is large,” Hašek mentioned. “I take into account every little thing I do on this matter to be vitally essential. What is occurring 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 folks all around the world what’s essential and easy methods to act in order that the Russian struggle of aggression doesn’t unfold and ends as quickly as potential. And naturally, the principle 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 an announcement 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 received 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 collaborating 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 12 months. In September, Hašek didn’t 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 accustomed to life beneath authoritarian rule. He doesn’t need his youngsters to know what that’s like. Hašek has a soon-to-be 3-year-old son, Honza, together with his present companion, and two grownup youngsters, Michael and Dominika, together with his ex-wife. Hašek returned to the Czech Republic after retiring from the Detroit Crimson Wings to lift his youngsters in his residence nation.

Hašek additionally performed the ultimate 12 months 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 change into eager about politics till after his enjoying profession ended. He has since change into 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 workforce owned by Jaromir Jagr, signed goalie Julius Hudacek, who was born in Slovakia however had spent the earlier season enjoying for a Kazakhstan-based workforce 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 workforce had a Russian participant on its roster. Whereas neither the Devils nor the Sabres introduced a Russian to the International Sequence, 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 in regards to 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 very fact the NHL has not modified its place since that assertion is disappointing to Hašek.

Russia’s struggle in Ukraine will possible change into a extra distinguished NHL storyline as Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s objective file. Ovechkin nonetheless has a photograph with Putin as his Instagram profile image and has not made any sturdy statements towards the struggle. He hasn’t spoken in regards to the struggle since 2022.

“I’m Russian, proper?” Ovechkin mentioned in 2022. “One thing I can’t management. It’s not in my fingers. I hope (the struggle)’s going to finish quickly. I hope it’s going to be peace in each international locations. I don’t management this one.”

Hašek mentioned he believes solely Russians who condemn the struggle must 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 provides him the liberty to talk his thoughts. It’s harder for individuals who worry for his or her security or their household’s security, Hašek added. And even those that may face job loss or different financial repercussions primarily based 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 may 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 towards Putin previously. Hašek additionally cited Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, a Russian who spoke out towards 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 during which 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 matter 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, now we have expertise on this course and, sadly, additionally victims. Individuals don’t know the way the state of affairs will develop and if Ukraine falls, we’re one of many different potential victims.”

Hašek mentioned he wish to hear extra ex-players communicate out on the subject, as a result of they’re now not depending on the NHL for work. He is aware of these aren’t straightforward conditions to navigate. He admitted to what he now views as a mistake of his personal final 12 months.

Final season, Hašek got here to Buffalo as a part of an annual go to to do charity work together 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 group. He nonetheless loves Buffalo and considers it among the best hockey cities in the US. However he realized that even collaborating in that approach went towards 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 mates to the @NHL recreation (1/18/2024). On the identical 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 towards the imperialist enemy. And additional to the followers who supported me and proceed to help me and to everybody whom I disillusioned with my act. I discover this private failure of mine very tough to excuse. I’ll attempt even more durable to repair it. At this second, I can promise you {that a} comparable state of affairs is not going to occur once more. And that I’ll struggle to the utmost and assist defend every little thing 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 workforce for the Sabres’ web site to assist them with a challenge they’re doing on his upbringing.

“I’ve little interest in breaking ties,” Hašek mentioned. “I’m eager about serving to the NHL as a lot as potential with my habits, and nothing is altering about that. In any other case, in fact, I cannot take part in any of the 2 matches, nor something associated to the beginning of this 12 months’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)