Former Red Wings Goalie Blasts NHL, Blue Jackets

Former Detroit Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek has never been shy about taking the NHL to task over what he views as the league’s tacit support of Russia.

The Hall of Fame puckstopper is at it again and this time, it’s hard to argue with the point he is making.

Hasek went off on the league and the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets are playing host to Russian Heritage Night on Dec. 12 when the Washington Capitals are in town. And he’s pulling no punches in his criticism of this decision by the Blue Jackets.

The @NHL has definitely gone crazy. In addition to its long-term support of the Russian war and Russian crimes in Ukraine, it has come up with a new Russian project. I hope that during this December game, at the stadium and on TV will show 1) millions of dead Ukrainians in the… pic.twitter.com/YpZHXKzESZ

— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) November 26, 2024

You know, that country that is currently at war with Ukraine after invading their neighbor three years ago.

“The NHL has definitely gone crazy,” reads Hasek’s post on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “In addition to its long-term support of the Russian war and Russian crimes in Ukraine, it has come up with a new Russian project.”

Ex-Red Wings Goalie Graphic In His Criticism

Hasek has long been a supporter of the Ukrainian cause. He’s even visited the war-torn nation.

Later in his missive, the former Red Wings goaltender was even offering graphic suggestions for footage they could display to support the culture in Russia and its treatment of Ukrainians, both at present and in the past.

“I hope that during this December game, at the stadium and on TV will show 1) millions of dead Ukrainians in the 1930s due to a famine deliberately supported by the Kremlin. 2) Russia’s start of WW2, when in September 1939 they invaded Poland together with Germany and subsequently massacred about 40 thousand Poles there (the Russians did it),” Hasek writes. “The long-term killing and oppression in Eastern European countries from 1945-89.”

The he turns his attention to the current situation in Ukraine.

The @NHL knows very well that this is an open support (advertisement) of the Russian war and Russian crimes during the Russian imperialist war against the free country of Ukraine. People have died and will die because of the NHL and this match, and the NHL bears full… pic.twitter.com/Y6SBKCY9Ka

— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) November 23, 2024

“Hundreds of thousands of dead and maimed Ukrainians in the Russian imperialist war from February 2022 until now,” he notes. “This is just a brief overview of Russian actions that the NHL can use in the Columbus – Washington game to better familiarize fans with Russian culture…”

Whether or not you agree with Hasek’s politics, you have to admit from a marketing standpoint, this is simply bad form on the part of the NHL. If there ever was a time to be keeping a low profile in terms of celebrating Russia, now seems like it would be that time.