Could Ovechkin’s love for Putin ruin his NHL legacy?

Alexander Ovechkin is undoubtedly one of the greatest hockey players of his generation and maybe even one of the best of all time. But his legacy among the greats may be at risk over his ardent support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.  

In December 2022, the fragility of Ovetchkin’s hockey legacy was on full display when the Ukrainian Canadian Congress circulated a petition to get the Washington Capitals' captain banned from entering the country. 

“Ovechkin has been a long-time supporter of Russian president Vladimir Putin having campaigned for him in the fraudulent Russian election in 2018,” a letter from the congress to Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Immigration Minister Sean Fraser read. 

“Ovechkin continues to support Putin as ‘his President’ even in the face of Russia’s genocidal war in Ukraine,” the letter continued. 

The Washington Capitals captain has yet to condemn Putin for his invasion of Ukraine and has continued to keep an image of himself with Vladimir Putin as his profile picture on his official Instagram account. 

“Ovechkin’s refusal to speak out against the genocide Russia is committing against Ukraine. And his ongoing support of Putin and the Russian regime is offensive to the Ukrainian community in Canada,” the letter to Ministers Joly and Fraser added. 

While hockey fans have been divided on what to think about Ovechkin’s obvious support for Putin, there’s no denying he has had a long history of blowing smoke up the Russian dictator's rear end. 

“Ovechkin has not hidden his affection for the Russian leader,” wrote the Daily Mail’s Jake Fenner. “Since starting his Instagram page back in 2014, Ovechkin has posted roughly a dozen images of Putin.”

Fenner argued that Ovechkin has wielded his public profile as an international hockey star as a tool for Putin’s political gain, especially during the Russian leader's 2017 presidential bid. 

“I have never hidden my attitude towards our President, always openly supporting him,” Ovechkin wrote in his November 2017 Instagram account announcing his support for Putin. 

“I am sure that there are many of us who support Vladimir Putin! So let's unite and show everyone a strong and united Russia!” Ovechkin added. 

When asked by reporters in a post-game press conference about the ongoing war in late December, Ovechkin said it was “a hard situation,” adding that he had friends in both countries. 

Reporters pressed Ovechkin harder, asking if he still supported Putin, but the Washington Capitals player wouldn’t give the media a straight answer. 

“I’m Russian, right? Something I can’t control. It’s not in my hands. I hope it’s going to end soon. I hope it’s going to be peace in both countries. I don’t control this one,” Ovechkin said.

Whether or not Ovechkin controls what's happening in Russia and Ukraine, he does control what he can and can’t say while living in the United States, so maybe we shouldn’t let him get away with such a bad excuse. 

“He has the money. He has the ability to get his family out. It's just more of an inconvenience, right? It would be socially uncomfortable for him,” The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan said.