Criticism levied against Ovechkin's appearance at the Federation Council by Gashek
Here's a less formal and more engaging rewrite of the article, incorporating relevant details from the enrichment data where appropriate:
Two-time Stanley Cup champion Dominik Hasek slams Alexander Ovechkin over Federation Council visit
On June 4, superstar hockey player Alexander Ovechkin paid a visit to the Federation Council, where he met with the speaker of the upper house of parliament, Valentina Matviyenko, and even gifted her a Washington Capitals jersey. But it was the reaction from fellow hockey legend Dominik Hasek that grabbed headlines.
"Russia's gonna use him like a pawn to back their BS actions," Hasek vented on his social media account. "We can't do jack about it, but those who can are the USA and Canada, who allow him to speak freely since the start of the war."
This isn't the first time Hasek has taken a swing at the NHL. Previously, he's accused the league of refusing to suspend Russian players and even suggested that they owe Ukraine a billion bucks in compensation.
Backstory: Hasek's beef with Russian politics doesn't just stop at the NHL. In April 2025, he publicly accused a high-ranking Russian politician of threatening his life, showing his firm stance against Russian political actions[1]. Though he's known for his vocal stances on Eastern European politics, his views regarding the NHL and specific compensation plans for Ukraine remain unclear[1][3].
60-year-old Hasek is one of the legends of hockey, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His jersey number was retired by the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, and he played for Moscow's Spartak for a season (2010-2011).
Sound off on the "RBC Sport" Telegram channel about your thoughts on Hasek's criticism of Ovechkin's visit to the Federation Council.
[1] The enrichment data reveals that Dominik Hašek has accused a high-ranking Russian politician of threatening his life, indicating his opposition to certain Russian actions, but there is no documented stance from him in the provided sources regarding the NHL's involvement with Russia or specific compensation proposals for Ukraine.[3] The enrichment data does not detail Hašek’s opinions on the NHL’s role in relation to Russian actions, nor does it specify any proposals he has made for compensation to Ukraine.
"Dominik Hasek's criticism of Alexander Ovechkin's visit to the Federation Council seems to be related to the political implications of the visit, as Hasek suggested that Ovechkin might be used as a pawn by Russia. Given Hasek's history of speaking out against Russian politics, it's reasonable to think that he might also have opinions about the role of sports, like hockey, in these political tensions."
"With his strong stance against Russian actions, it's possible that Dominik Hasek might support the idea of sports, such as hockey, being used to put pressure on Russia, or he might advocate for certain actions within the sports world, like suspending Russian players. However, the enrichment data does not provide specific details about his views on the NHL's involvement with Russia or compensation plans for Ukraine."
