PRAGUE – The NHL opened its regular season with two Global Series games between the Buffalo Sabers and New Jersey Devils last week in Prague. Czech ice hockey legends were prominently represented. Jaromir Jagr dropped the ceremonial first puck before Friday’s game. Patrik Eliáš, the Devils’ all-time leading scorer, was with the team all week and dropped the puck in the second game of the series.

But a great Czech hockey player was conspicuously missing. Dominik Hašek, the Hall of Fame goaltender who led the Czechs to an Olympic gold medal in 1998 and one of the greatest players in Sabers franchise history, did not attend the games or participate in promotional materials leading up to the games . Last Thursday, Hašek released a statement on his X account condemning the NHL for allowing Russian players to play in the league while Vladimir Putin continued Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Friday afternoon, hours before Jagr dropped the ceremonial first puck, Hašek scored The athlete to discuss his current issue with the NHL.

Dear citizens, dear ice hockey fans,

The new NHL season begins tomorrow in Prague.

As a person for whom human life is at the top of the imaginary scale of values, I cannot remain indifferent. Unfortunately I have to say that this will be the third…

— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) October 3, 2024

“My motivation is huge,” said Hašek. “I think everything I do on this issue is extremely important. What is happening in Russia now, namely the Russian imperialist war in Ukraine and other related crimes, is very similar to what Hitler did in the 1930s. And we all know how that turned out. This must not happen again. And that is why I am trying to publicly explain to people around the world what is important and how to act so that the Russian war of aggression does not expand and ends as quickly as possible. And of course the main motivation is saving lives. For me, human life always comes first.”

Russia escalated the war between the two nations in February 2022 when it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This month, the NHL released a statement condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and announcing that it had suspended relations with partners in Russia. Hašek has made his feelings clear since the day of the Russian invasion. He emailed NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and said he received only a brief response. Hašek said the league had not made any effort to engage in dialogue with him in recent years. The NHL declined to comment for this story.

During this time, Hašek demanded that the NHL pay billions of dollars in compensation to Ukraine and was vocal about allowing Russian athletes to take part in the Olympics. Russians’ participation in the NHL serves as an advertisement for what the country is doing and improves morale in Russia, he says.

Hašek also ran for senator in the Czech Republic this year. In September, Hašek failed to make it past the first round of voting. He is using the time to think about his next step, but would like to continue to be involved in politics.

It was not until 1989, when Hašek was 24 years old, that the Czech Republic separated from the Soviet Union. Hašek is very familiar with life under authoritarian rule. He doesn’t want his children to know what it’s like. Hašek has a three-year-old son, Honza, with his current partner, and two adult children, Michael and Dominika, with his ex-wife. After retiring from the Detroit Red Wings, Hašek returned to the Czech Republic to raise his children in his home country.

Hašek also played the final year of his career in the KHL in 2010/11. Putin has been either prime minister or president of Russia since 1999, making him the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.

But while Hašek studied history in college, it was only after his playing career ended that he became interested in politics. Since then, he has become more outspoken on certain topics, including this one.

Many in the Czech Republic share Hašek’s fears and views, and for hockey fans, this goes beyond the NHL. In 2023, Rytíři Kladno, Jaromir Jagr’s Czech Extraliga team, signed Slovakian-born goaltender Julius Hudacek, who had played for a Kazakhstan-based team in the KHL the previous season. Fans threatened to protest the games and Kladno released Hudacek days later.

This is the second time the NHL has come to Prague since Russia invaded Ukraine. In 2022, the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators played here, and each team had a Russian player on the roster. Although neither the Devils nor the Sabers brought a Russian to the Global Series, Hašek still didn’t want to be there. He believes the NHL should speak out publicly on the issue and not “bury its head in the sand.”

The NHL’s first statement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 said: “We continue to be concerned about the well-being of players from Russia who play in the NHL on behalf of their NHL clubs and not on behalf of Russia.” We understand that they and their families are finding themselves in an extremely difficult situation.”

The fact that the NHL has not changed its position since this statement is disappointing for Hašek.

Russia’s war in Ukraine will likely become a more important storyline in the NHL as Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s scoring record. Ovechkin still has a photo with Putin as his Instagram profile picture and has not made strong anti-war statements. He has not spoken about the war since 2022.

“I’m Russian, right?” Ovechkin said in 2022: “Something I can’t control.” It’s out of my hands. I hope (the war) ends soon. I hope that there will be peace in both countries. I have no control here.”

Hašek said he believes only Russians who condemn the war should be allowed to play in the NHL. However, he understands the difficult situation facing Russian players. Hašek lives in a free country and is not an employee of the NHL, which he says gives him the freedom to express his opinion. It is more difficult for those who fear for their safety or that of their families, Hašek added. Or even those who could face job loss or other economic repercussions because of their words.

Hašek doesn’t blame individual Russian players for not speaking out.

“Rules need to be set so that Russian players have an incentive to come out publicly,” Hašek said. “Some players could make the best peace ambassadors. Unfortunately, the NHL doesn’t help Russian hockey players one bit.”

Artemi Panarin, the Russian star of the New York Rangers, has spoken out strongly against Putin in the past. Hašek also cited Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, a Russian who spoke out against the war as a member of the Calgary Flames in 2023. He posted “No War” on his Instagram account with the caption “Stop it!!!” He also conducted a two-hour interview on YouTube with Russian journalist Yuri Dud in which he expressed his opposition to the war. Hašek felt that the NHL did not offer him enough support.

“It has to be said that this is a topic that people are very afraid to talk about publicly,” Hašek said. “In the Czech Republic there is great fear of Russia, which our parliament has classified as a terrorist state. We have experience in this direction with Russia and unfortunately also victims. People don’t know how the situation will develop, and if Ukraine falls, we will be one of the other possible victims.”

Hašek said he would like to hear more former players speak out on the issue since they are no longer dependent on the NHL for their careers. He knows that these are not easy situations to deal with. He admitted last year what he now sees as his own mistake.

Last season, Hašek came to Buffalo as part of an annual visit to do charity work through his foundation, Hašek’s Heroes. While in town, he went to a Sabers game and joined in at the start of the game by banging on the drum to get the crowd excited. He still loves Buffalo and considers it one of the best hockey cities in the United States. But he realized that even such participation was contradictory to what he had been talking about. Days later he apologized on X.

Statement regarding my participation in the event January 18, 2024 and to the public and media inquiries: During my annual visit (business, charity) to Buffalo USA, I accepted an invitation from my friends @NHL Game (01/18/2024). At the same time (continue)

— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) January 23, 2024

“I consider my participation in the game and its opening as my big mistake,” wrote Hašek. “I would like to apologize to all Ukrainian soldiers and all Ukrainian people who heroically defend not only their homeland, but all of Europe against the imperialist enemy. And further to the fans who have supported me and continue to support me, and to everyone who I have disappointed with my performance. I find it very difficult to excuse this personal failure of mine. I will try harder to fix the problem. At this point, I can promise you that a similar situation will not happen again. And that I will fight to the extreme and help defend everything that the Russian state-controlled terrorist regime attacks. And criticize everyone who supports them with their actions.”

Last week, Hašek met with Sabers coach Lindy Ruff and a few others he knows from his time in Buffalo. He also met with the video team for the Sabres’ website to help them with a project about his upbringing.

“I have no interest in breaking the connection,” said Hašek. “I’m interested in helping the NHL as much as possible with my behavior, and nothing will change that.” Otherwise, of course, I won’t be taking part in either game, including anything related to the start of this year’s NHL. The reason is clear. I don’t want to be part of an event that promotes the Russian war.”

(Photo: Petr David Josek / AP Photo)