NHL commissioner Gary Bettman disagrees with criticism of Dominik Hasek over Russian participation
Commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL) Gary Bettman responded to the Olympic champion, two-time Stanley Cup winner Dominik Hasek on the demand to remove the Russians from participation in the tournament. His words are quoted by Ilta-Sanomat.
Bettman said that Hasek has the right to criticize the league for the participation of Russians in matches. “But I do not think that his opinion reflects the position of the Czech people or the leadership of the country. By the way, I do not agree with him,” he stressed.
In October 2022, Hasek called for NHL executives to resign over their stance on Russia. He said that Bettman and his deputy Bill Daly showed disrespect to the Czech Foreign Ministry by allowing Russian players to play in the NHL pre-season in Prague.
Hasek is known for playing in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabers, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators. He won the Stanley Cup twice and became an Olympic champion as part of the Czech national team.
Source: Lenta
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