When in the National Hockey League (NHL) any Wayne Gretzky record is in danger, it should be a celebratory sporting event, as it confirms the high level of the athlete. Russian Alexander Ovechkin he came 92 goals short of Gretzky’s goalscoring record, but his ties to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin are overshadowing that athletic feat, despite the saying so beloved in Russia: ‘Let’s not mix sport with politics’.
Gretzky scored 894 goals in his illustrious NHL career, while longtime Washington Capitals star Ovechkin is currently second on the all-time scoring list, ahead of Gordie Howe with 802 goals.
“It’s impossible to celebrate Ovechkin’s success because he not only supported genocidal Russian President Vladimir Putin and his policies, but also led the movement to support him in 2017,” writes Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
On the other hand, “Toronto Sun” reporter Brian Lilley pointed out that Ovechkin made his political views a part of his public persona. “I can guarantee that if Ovechkin supports Donald Trump, he will receive more criticism than his relationship with Putin,” he continued.
