‘Nobody’s using me’: Capitals’ Ovechkin speaks on planned protests over Putin support

Protestors gathered outside the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario, on Tuesday as Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals visited the Ottawa Senators, amid an intense period for Russian relations with Canada’s federal government, the world and the IIHF. 

The soon-to-retire superstar and the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer addressed a crowd of media before the game, speaking about his involvement in Russian political advertisements, his continued support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his country’s efforts to return to the international hockey scene for next month’s World Juniors in Alberta. 

“Nobody is using me,” he responded to CBC News when asked about his involvement in Russian political advertisements. “I just heard about [the protest] this morning, and I don’t know what to say…Lots of protests going on around the world.”

While the 41-year-old appears unfazed by the constant political questioning, he fully supports bringing Russia back into international hockey, a process the Court of Arbitration for Sport is demanding of the IIHF. 

Since the CAS ruling, Norway has reportedly been told it will be replaced at the World Juniors this winter, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said no Russian team would be allowed to compete at the tournament, despite enough Russian players already being permitted to Canada through the CHL and other junior leagues. 

“I don’t know how it’s going to work out, but I’m pretty sure if you ask the fans, the fans want to see the best players out there,” Ovechkin told reporters. “The fans want to see young generation players who are going to be future stars, future NHLers. But you know it’s not up to us.”

Asked about Carney’s remarks and plans, Ovechkin refused to take a stance, saying, “It’s his thoughts, his decisions.”

Several countries have said they would not face Russia if it returned to international competition, with Sweden saying it would refuse to play over the weekend, while Finland and Czechia have also threatened boycotts. Other nations have denounced the CAS’s plan to reintegrate Russia but have not gone so far as to boycott tournaments or matchups. 

While Ovechkin has made his stance clear, the parties at hand will need to reach a final decision soon, with the 2027 World Juniors set to drop the puck on Dec. 26 and Norway’s slot slated for the opening game against Czechia in Edmonton.