PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 17: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals looks on against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 17, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, Fla. - Russian-born players in the National Hockey League have been reportedly harassed and receiving death threats since Russia invaded Ukraine.
According to Yahoo Sports, NHL agent Dan Milstein, who is from Ukraine and now an American citizen, represents a majority of the hockey players from Russia and Belarus.
He represents at least three Tampa Bay Lightning players, including Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Mikhail Sergachev.
Milstein tells Yahoo News that his clients are being called Nazis and people are telling the players they wish they were dead.
These players are worried about their safety and if they’ll still be able to play, Milstein told Yahoo News.
There are 41 Russian-born players currently in the NHL. One Russian player who is in the spotlight right now is Alex Ovechkin from the Washington Capitals.
"I think it’s difficult for all the Russian players in the league. There is 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 so it’s a difficult situation for these guys," said Brian Maclellan, the general manager of the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin is a known supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been put under pressure to comment about the Ukraine invasion.
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Both for Ovechkin, who is a well-known supporter of Vladimir Putin and made a plea for peace, and Calgary defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who posted to Instagram the messages, "NO WAR" and "STOP IT!!!" there has been feedback from many sides. Ovechkin was criticized for not condemning the actions of the Russian president he once campaigned for as part of the "Putin Team," while Zadorov could be blacklisted from playing for his country’s national team.
Sponsors are reacting. Life insurance company Mass Mutual is pulling its ads featuring Ovechkin. The company declined to say why the ads are no longer running.
Also, Canadian ice hockey equipment brand "CCM Hockey" announced earlier this week that it would stop using Ovechkin and other Russian players in its ads.
The NHL has suspended all ties with Russian business partners after releasing a statement condemning the invasion of Ukraine.
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The league has also removed Russia as a possible site for future games and events. It is also pausing all Russian language social and digital media sites.
The league says Russian players are still allowed to play and is urging a peaceful resolution as quickly as possible.
The NHL said in a statement earlier this week it is "concerned about the well-being of the players from Russia, who play in the NHL on behalf of their NHL clubs, and not on behalf of Russia. We understand they and their families are being placed in an extremely difficult position."
The Associated Press contributed to this report