Time for hockey world to send a message to Vladimir Putin

Sport-washing is one of the latest phrases seen on newspaper sports pages. It refers to less-than-respected countries using sport to improve their international image.

Saudi Arabia, one of the most disrespected countries in the Middle East is using oil revenue to finance a golf tour to rival the North American Professional Golf Association (PGA).

The Saudis, suspected to have financed and supplied most of the terrorists that killed more than 3,000 Americans in the 9/11 attack on New York’s World Trade Center, paid a number of top golfers millions of dollars to just show up at their events.

It is questionable these golf tournaments will change many people’s opinion of the Saudis but it certainly made a few golfers, some washed up on the PGA tour, multi-millionaires.

For years Russia has flaunted their athletes and teams to show how great their country is. They even drugged some to improve their performances. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, other countries and sports organizations started expelling and sanctioning these same athletes to show Russia their revulsion. Except the NHL!

Last season there were 45 Russian-born and raised hockey players playing in the NHL. When other sports organizations around the world prevented Russian-born players and their teams from participating in leagues, tournaments and events, the NHL did nothing.

The Canadian Hockey League and the International Amateur Hockey Federation have sanctioned Russian players to various degrees. They mainly banned teams from tournaments and events but not individual players like those scattered through the three major junior leagues in Canada.

On the other hand, the National Hockey League and the other minor professional leagues under the NHL control, have ignored the public revulsion for the Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

The Washington Capitals of the NHL, with a number of Russian players on their roster, including their captain, Alex Ovechkin, reportedly banned fans from displaying Ukraine flags at home games. Needless to say, late last season the Capitals saw many Ukrainian flags and signage in visiting arenas, especially those in Canada.

Whereas the Canadian Hockey League would not allow Russian players to be drafted in their European Draft this spring, the NHL had no such ban in their recently completed Priority Draft in Montreal.

Even after all the disturbing news videos of the killing of Ukrainians, including children by Russian troops, 25 Russian-born hockey players, three in the first round, were still drafted by NHL teams.

It is obvious the NHL has no plans to sanction in any way the Russians playing in the NHL. It is strictly a money thing. Any attempt to limit the number of Russians on teams will affect financially both the teams and the league itself.

And the billionaire owners of the teams and their frontman, commissioner, Gary Bettman, will never do anything, even in support of their fans’ revulsion for the Russians actions in Ukraine, that might affect their bank accounts.

The NHL, the only major professional sports league in North America that employs Russian nationals in any number, obstinately resists public pressure to change their stance on sanctioning Russians.

Anything less than the Canadian and United States governments denying Russian professional athletes visas to enter the two countries, will have any noteworthy effect. Unfortunately that has little chance of happening, especially in the USA.

All the various sanctions that have been directed at Russia seem to have had little effect on Putin’s aggression.

Expelling the Russian hockey players playing in North America may seem unfair because they obviously have nothing to do with the war but it may be a way to get Putin’s attention.

Don Barrie is a retired teacher, former Buffalo Sabers scout and a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Peterborough and district Sports Hall of Fame. His column appears in The Examiner every Saturday.

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