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Capitals basic supervisor Brian MacLellan has come to assistance from his star ahead Alex Ovechkin.
Ovechkin, who hails from Moscow, Russia, has confronted criticism up to now week for his prior help of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And given the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ovechkin’s help of Putin has been a significant matter of dialog across the NHL.
Speaking with the media Wednesday, MacLellan stated folks needs to be sympathetic in direction of Ovechkin and different Russian gamers.
“It’s difficult for all the Russian players in the league,” MacLellan stated, by way of NBC Sports Washington. “There’s a number of strain placed on them to have a political opinion both approach, and so they’re attempting to stability out how they dwell their lives and what their political beliefs are and the repercussions that would occur again dwelling.
“[Ovechkin’s] a great particular person, he’s an emotional particular person, and he takes issues personally. I feel he’s been put beneath an unbelievable quantity of strain. You know, for us, it’s about how will we help him.
“He’s been the face of our franchise and the face of hockey in this area, his family has grown up here, his kids are from here, and because of his status, he’s put in a hard situation to probably handle — a situation that I’m not sure that he’s fully thought out or that anybody has, really. It’s hard for him.”
Ovechkin addressed the media after Friday’s workforce observe and preached a message of unity.
“Please, no more war,” Ovechkin stated. “It doesn’t matter who is in the war. Russia, Ukraine, different countries. I think we live in a world, like, we have to live in peace and a great world.”
Ovechkin has seen a number of sponsors distance themselves from him, together with CCM and MassMutual. NHL Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek has been harsh on Ovechkin, calling him a “chicken shit.”
“The NHL must immediately suspend contracts for all Russian players,” Hasek wrote, by way of Twitter. “Every athlete represents not only himself and his club, but also his country and its values and actions. That is a fact. If the NHL does not do so, it has indirect co-responsibility for the dead in Ukraine.”
Follow Nick Geddes on Twitter @NickGeddesNews and on Instagram @nick.geddes.
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