Detroit Red Wings

Former Red Wings Goalie Hasek in War of Words With Russians

Former Wings goalie Dominik Hasek is maintaining his criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

July 29, 2022

Bob Duff

Ex-Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek finds himself under attack from old Russian hockey stars.

Who says the Detroit Red Wings-Colorado Avalanche rivalry is dead? Not Domink Hasek and Valeri Kamensky, that’s for sure.

Sure, a lot of ice has been resurfaced by Zambonis since Hasek was a Red Wings goalie and Kamensky an Avalanche forward. And their current war of words certainly isn’t about the bitter, old days.

The vitriol between them is entirely encompassing world events of today.

One thing about Hasek when he was the goalie for the Red Wings was that when you were asking him a question, you knew the truth was coming back at you in his answer.

Even when the truth hurt.

😡 The legendary Czech hockey player Dominik Hasek suggested sending compatriots who work in Russia to prison.

“I think that, for example, 15 years in prison for working for Russia would be very helpful. pic.twitter.com/JtebxqSPZc

— T Boy!!!🇳🇬🇷🇺🇳🇬🇷🇺 (@TobiAyodele) July 26, 2022

Hasek was quick to criticize Vladimir Putin and Russian aggression when they invaded Ukraine. Just like when he was stopping pucks, he never gives up on a play. He was also not shy about taking Russian NHLers like Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin to task for their support of Putin.

The Dominator is raging against the Russian machine again. It’s over Czech forward Dmitrij Jaskin. He was recently deciding to sign a contract to play next season for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.

“I’m very sorry,” Hasek told iSport.cz. “The work of a Czech citizen in the Russian Federation is support for the Russian regime, the war in Ukraine, and therefore a danger to our country and its citizens.

“However, I do not blame the boy or his agent, but the government and the parliament of the Czech Republic for not having adopted a law that prohibits this.”

Russians Attacking Hasek

In the Russian media, some former Russian stars were quickly countering, attacking Hasek for his comments.

“How is hockey related to politics?” ex-Avalanche forward Kamensky told TASS. “Apparently, he caught a lot of pucks in the head during his career.”

His Russian critics were also quick to point out that Hasek didn’t have a problem with the country when he was playing for Spartak Moscow of the KHL in 2010-11. Then again, how something that was happening over a decade ago has any bearing on the events of today is debatable.

This you? pic.twitter.com/jIaWBTlMeq

— FromRussiaWithGlove (@RussiaWithGlove) July 26, 2022

Speaking to Russian news agency RIA Novosti was Alexander Kozhevnikov. He’s an Olympic gold medal winner with the Soviet Union in 1984 and 1988. Kozhevnikov was vicious in his criticsm of the Czech goaltending legend and Hockey Hall of Famer.

“Maybe he has the coronavirus,” Kozhevnikov said of Hasek. “Dominik has somehow changed. He is just a little fascist, a sick person.”

Three Czechs To KHL

Jaskin, who played in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals and Arizona Coyotes, is the third Czech hockey player to sign a contract for next season with a KHL club. This group is including a former Red Wings defenseman.

Libor Sulak, briefly with the Red Wings for six games in 2018-19, and Rudolf Červený are playing next season with Vladivostok. Sulak spent two season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL farm club.

Defenseman Ryan Murphy, who played last season for the Griffins, ended up agreeing to terms with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL for the 2022-23 season.