Dominik Hasek, a legendary former goalie who represented the Czech national team and later played for several NHL clubs, spoke about the treatment he received from Russian audiences and teams during his time in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in the 2020/21 season with Spartak Moscow. He described how his interactions with people from Spartak differed from what he had expected in the long run.
According to Hasek, his only consistent connection within the club came through Alexei Zhitnik, a long-time associate he has known since their shared days in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres. Hasek noted that Zhitnik is Ukrainian, and through that link he maintained some level of contact amid a broader sense of distance from the club itself.
Reflecting on the atmosphere of a decade ago, Hasek recalled that conversations at Spartak rarely touched politics on the international stage. He remembered a warmer, more open rapport with Russian colleagues at that time, with teammates and staff typically exuding a friendly demeanor. He shared that invitations from teammates to travel to varied parts of Russia and neighboring regions, like the Caucasus and Lake Baikal, were part of the everyday camaraderie he experienced in the sport and culture of the region.
Hasek has consistently voiced his stance on the participation of Russian athletes in global competitions, particularly expressing opposition to their presence in the National Hockey League (NHL). He has urged the NHL to reconsider the inclusion of Russian players, arguing that participation in leagues abroad can carry political implications, though his calls for player removals from clubs have not yielded the outcomes he sought.
In recent years, governing bodies such as the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) have taken steps that affect Russian participation on the international stage. The IIHF decided to exclude Russian players from international events, even when competing under a neutral designation, and in 2023 it revoked Russia’s right to host certain global junior championships. In early July, the IIHF Disciplinary Committee upheld a decision not to admit certain teams to international play, reinforcing the stance on Russia’s participation in world events.
Dominik Hasek, known for his work with various National Hockey League clubs over a storied career, has reengaged with audiences on social media to reiterate his position against the involvement of Russian hockey players in professional leagues outside Russia. This renewed commentary aligns with his ongoing effort to influence discourse around the geopolitics of sport and the involvement of athletes from Russia in international competition.