As a Ukrainian, I personally find it… for the NHL and the Washington Capitals. This is his profile picture on u/aleksandrovechkinofficial Instagram. r/ukraine r/NAFO r/ukraineconflict r/PoliticalHumor

https://i.redd.it/3ctydu48zw1g1.jpeg

by kapascope

5 comments

  2. The NHL has a long (long) history of including players from the USSR and Russia, but I don’t recall any including a picture of themselves with a premier or other official. Even as much as sports is often a vehicle for social positions, politics, etc. I don’t recall most (any?) of these players ever promoting themselves in this context, nor do I recall them ever advocating for the political structures of their home countries. From other countries too, but Norway, Canada, Germany, etc. are not your question so I’ll leave those out.

    It’s generally just a sentence or two in their biography or introduction, and that’s about it. In the 90s there were The Russian Five in Detroit who were sometimes put on the ice together though they were usually rotated same as everyone else, but as I recall that’s about the extent of things.

    This (your pic) is a bit odd.

    edit: Ovechkin has been more forward than most, which is odd; I’m not sure the dynamic that the team or league takes with it. It’s not illegal in any sense but it definitely makes him an outlier.

  3. Well, Putin is trying to erase your entire existence from the earth. I would find that more concerning than a graphic on a hockey card.

  4. Every hockey player who still lives in russia should not have such a spot there. Besides, Ovechkin is not a smart dude.

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