Former NHL star goaltender Dominik Hasek vilified the Canadian organization on social media for the visit of members of its management to Russia in recent days.
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“How sad is this for an organization with such a long history in hockey, like the Canadiens, and for Canada?” wrote the Czech on Twitter, in response to a publication which showed the photo of general manager Kent Hughes, co-director of recruitment Nick Bobrov and special advisor Vincent Lecavalier, with the head coach of SKA de Saint- Petersburg, Roman Rotenberg.
“Do you realize that the KHL strongly supports the Russian leadership and carries out pro-Russian advertising, while the crimes [du régime] resulted in more than a million victims [dont 300 000 morts, NDLR]in three years of war? he continued. And that SKA coach Rotenberg is a supporter of the greatest criminal of our time, [Vladimir Poutine].»
A photo with Rotenberg
Over the past few days, Hughes, Bobrov and Lecavalier visited SKA headquarters to discuss the matter of Ivan Demidov, the Canadian's fifth pick this year, who plays in St. Petersburg and gets very limited playing time. despite his success on the ice.
The SKA published a photo of the three members of CH with Rotenberg, a Russian oligarch close to power, who became coach of the Russian club even though he has no experience.
SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg with Kent Hughes, Vincent Lecavalier and Nick Bobrov at the SKA Arena on Wednesday December 18, 2024.
Screenshot from X, Roman Rotenberg
Hasek believes that the Canadian “thus promotes [«advertising»] of the Russian imperialist war and its crimes.”
“You will also bear part of the responsibility for the human lives lost and for the crippled,” the 59-year-old continued.
The former goalie with six Vezina trophies became involved in politics at the end of his NHL career. Last September, he was in the ballot for the position of senator in the district of Benesov, a town in the Central Bohemian region. Hasek, however, failed to get elected.
Since the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, which he has also denounced on numerous occasions, the Czech has called for the suspension of Russian players who play in the NHL.
He adds more
Faced with the reactions that his message generated on social networks, Hasek added more for the Canadian people on Sunday: “Yes, it is certain that your team and its players are closer to you [et la plupart des gens] than the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who defend their country in trenches against enemy imperialism and who die as a result.”
“To understand better, imagine that the city of Montreal is bombed, and that you and your children have to go into basements and bunkers every two days in order to protect yourself.”
“Imagine that each of you has or had a loved one who went to the front, but who did not return or who was injured. I am convinced that in such a situation you would not let Russian citizens play on your ice cream and that you would not organize expeditions to St. Petersburg or take photos with supporters of Putin, a war criminal.”
Hasek also responded to several comments left by Internet users under his publications. To one of them, who told him that it was a purely sporting trip, and not a political one, the ex-goalkeeper retorted that “any appearance, especially public, has a political impact”.
