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The statement added that the organization stands in full support of its Russian players currently on the NHL roster — Alex Ovechkin, Dmitry Orlov, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Ilya Samsonov — and offered assistance to both them and their families. The Capitals play a game at the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. A week ago, Washington general manager Brian MacLellan spoke to reporters and commented on the difficulties Russian NHL players have faced since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. “It’s difficult for all the Russian players in the league,” MacLellan said. “There’s a lot of pressure put on them to have a political opinion either way and they’re trying to balance out how they live their lives and what their political opinions are and the repercussions that could happen back home.”
The biggest headlines have been focused on Ovechkin, who spoke to the media in Philadelphia shortly after the invasion began. “Please, no more war,” Ovechkin said on Feb. 25. Washington’s captain has previously shown public support for Russian President Vladimir Putin with the “PutinTeam” initiative in 2017. Ovechkin’s Instagram profile image still has a picture of himself with Putin. Monday night, the Flames had a Ukrainian-Calgarian singer perform Ukraine’s national anthem before their game against the Edmonton Oilers. For the Capitals’ upcoming game on Wednesday against the Oilers in Edmonton, a Ukrainian folk ensemble will perform.
