Ovechkin: from NHL hero to Putin's pariah after Russia invades Ukraine

The Capitals star has been criticised over his support for Putin before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with Dominik Hasek calling him “chicken shit.”

AS EnglishUpdate: Mar 2nd, 2022 08:17 EST

AFP

The war between Ukraine and Russia has had a knock-on effect on Russian athletes, and particularly those who have historically had a long relationship with Vladimir Putin. One such case is that of NHL star Alex Ovechkin, who was one of the heroes of the Washington Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup triumph but who has now become a villain among NHL fans and some of his colleagues over his support for the Russian leader.

Ovechkin publicly showed his support for Putin in 2017, setting up a website to that effect, which has led to an uncomfortable situation for the record-setting goal-scorer. “Putin is my president, but I am not a politician. I am a sportsman and I am Russian, and I can’t change that. I hope all this will end soon,” he said at a recent press conference.

CCM Hockey will stop using Alex Ovechkin and other Russian NHL players in any global marketing initiatives, the company said late Monday, explaining that they made the decision following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week.Story from @rwesthead: https://t.co/dkNMgBdGIH pic.twitter.com/OjCZwSOYEt

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) March 1, 2022

Ovechkin in the eye of US media storm