Hasek asks Russian NHL players to donate salaries to Ukrainian people
Dominik Hasek still wants the NHL to suspend all Russian players, but failing that, he proposed another idea.
The legendary goalie wants Russian NHL players to put their money where their mouths are — or aren’t.
“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,” Hasek said on Twitter today.
Hasek argues that by continuing to have Russian players appear in NHL games, it advertises their home country.
“Do it from the day the Russian army invaded Ukraine (02/24/2022). This will help to ease at least a little the suffering of Ukrainian children, women, and men,” he added.
To all Russian players in the NHL. 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.
— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) March 9, 2022
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 (02/24/2022).
This will help to ease at least a little the suffering of Ukrainian children, women and men.— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) March 9, 2022
Hasek, 57, was born in raised behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia and has been outspoken against Russian President Vladimir Putin since the war began last month.
Russian players represent four of the top 10 paid players in the NHL this season, with Artermi Panarin taking home $13 million. If Panarin were to agree to Hasek’s request, he would be giving up over $5 million of this season’s salary.
Hasek called for the NHL to suspend the contracts of Russian players on February 26, following Alex Ovechkin’s first public comments since Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. He called Ovechkin “chicken sh*t” and a “liar,” among other things.
Ovechkin said that he was against wars of any kind, but failed to condemn Putin, saying “he is my president” and “I am not in politics.”
Meanwhile, Ovechkin’s Instagram account still features a photo of himself with Putin as his profile picture.
Hasek praised his former Czech Olympic teammate Jaromir Jagr, who helped raise funds for Ukraine this week.
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Russian NHL players have remained largely diplomatic since the war began — perhaps out of fear for the safety of themselves or their families back in Russia.
The Capitals, who have four Russian players on their active roster, released a statement on Tuesday, condemning the “Russian invasion of Ukraine and the loss of innocent life.”
The team also said it stands in “full support” of its Russian players and their families overseas.”
“We realize they are being put in a difficult situation and stand by to offer our assistance to them and their families,” the statement read.
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