Ovechkin Puts the Capitals and the NHL In An Incredibly Awkward Position

Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin has seemingly put his team and the NHL in a tricky spot after recently appearing in a campaign video for Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party. In the video, which has caught a lot of attention from hockey fans and the rest of the world, Ovechkin is seen standing right behind Putin’s main propagandist, Margarita Simonyan, while Foreign Minister Lavrov gives a speech justifying the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ovechkin also participated in a photo shoot for the same campaign together with Russian soldiers and individuals sanctioned for their complicity in the war against Ukraine.

The issue here seems to be that showing his support for United Russia carries more weight than simply appearing in pictures with Putin, which Ovechkin has done for years. The NHL’s leading goal scorer has mostly avoided answering questions about his political ties and said he doesn’t support war, saying conflict with Ukraine is “not in my hands,” but this feels different to many.

The intersection of sports and politics is often uncomfortable for many fans. Now that this has drawn so much attention, do Capitals supporters still support Ovechkin? Can they separate his off-ice ties from his on-ice performance? Do they need to? Meanwhile, the NHL and the Capitals organization appear caught in the middle.

The Capitals Asked Ovechkin to Distance Himself

According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the Washington Capitals have asked Ovechkin to take down his Instagram post and deactivate his account, but, out of concern for his family’s safety, Ovechkin says he has little choice but to remain supportive of Putin.

At the same time, outside of removing league ties to competitive play with Russia, the NHL has taken a hands-off approach with Ovechkin. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was asked about the 2028 World Cup of Hockey and noted, “To some extent, we are waiting a little bit to see what happens geopolitically with the Russian state. I don’t think we’re tied necessarily to where the IIHF is, or the IOC for that matter, but the IOC certainly has softened its stance with respect to Russian participation. That’s become clear.”

Seemingly aware that this could become a PR nightmare, the Capitals seemed to push hard on the Ovechkin love this week. They showed photos of their star back on the ice, with one caption reading, “How we’re all looking at the big man today.” It showed Tom Wilson smiling at Ovechkin. Fans were quick to respond. One wrote, “Folks, a genuine piece of advice. Maybe not have a love fest for Ovechkin the same day he drops a propaganda video in support of Putin and his genocidal war against Ukraine.”

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