"They" kill "all our great guys": how did Russia react to the NHL's refusal to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games

"The NHL comes first with business, and only then with sports"

The NHL's decision to withdraw from the 2022 Olympics has upset millions of fans around the world.

Recently, the situation in the league has only worsened, and the media, referring to various sources, reported that such a verdict would be issued.

But hope for the best remained until Wednesday evening, when the final statement was announced.

However, in Russia he was greeted extremely calmly.

From the comments of officials, it became obvious that the country was ready for this.

In particular, the first vice-president of the FHR Roman Rotenberg noted that the absence of hockey players playing overseas in Beijing would not affect the main task.

“The country's hockey federation has created all the conditions for the Russian national team to repeat the golden success of Pyeongchang and defend the title of Olympic champions - the first for domestic hockey in 26 years,” the R-Sport functionary quotes.

The decision of the NHL was calmly made by the President of the FHR Vladislav Tretyak.

Although he expressed regret at the refusal, he noted that the value of Beijing's Olympic medals would not decrease from this.

“On the other hand, Kontinental Hockey League players who might not have made it to the Olympics now have the opportunity to get there.

Whoever goes, I am sure that each team will fight in Beijing and we will see good hockey, ”the head of the TASS federation is quoted as saying.

Maintained optimism in the coaching staff of the Russian national team.

According to the mentor Alexei Zhamnov, the team will continue to prepare for the main sporting event of the four-year period as usual.

The only thing that upset the specialist was the deprivation of probably the last opportunity to play at the Olympics for aged legionnaires such as Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin.

“As we prepared, we continue to prepare.

I have already said that nothing depends on us here.

We cannot control the pandemic, so there is nothing to be done.

The coaching staff of the Russian national team will remain in its current form, Ilya Kovalchuk continues to work as a general manager, "the coach said in an interview with the Championship.

In turn, his adviser Valery Kamensky stressed that Zhamnov initially had two options: with and without the participation of NHL hockey players, and therefore the verdict of the overseas league was accepted calmly.

“We will use available hockey players.

The tournament promises to be interesting and intense.

The Olympics is a great event, and all teams will be on equal terms, "Kamensky stressed.

In this situation, Sergei Fedorov, Zhamnov's assistant, noted the importance of holding the Channel One Cup in December.

After all, participation in the home stage of the Euro Hockey Tour helped to form the backbone of the performers who will now defend the honor of the country in Beijing.

In general, when commenting on the NHL's refusal to travel to the Olympic Games, many experts named the financial aspect as the main reason.

Allegedly, it is more profitable for the league leadership to complete their regular season than to risk sending athletes to Beijing.

This point of view was expressed, for example, by the FHR special representative for international affairs, Pavel Bure.

“Of course, it's a shame that the NHL won't go to the games.

When we first played at the 1998 NHL Games, a lot of people thought it was forever.

But the NHL is not as beneficial to the development of hockey around the world as its own business, and so far it is an objective reality, "complained Bure.

Two-time Olympic champion Boris Mikhailov also supported his position - in his opinion, hockey is not in the first place in the league.

“I am not offended by this decision.

It's a shame to the players that they won't go.

It would be nice if they participated.

But once the management made such a decision, these are their problems, not ours.

In the NHL, business comes first, followed by sports, ”Mikhailov said.

The honorary president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Vitaly Smirnov, considers the political aspect to be the main reason for the refusal.

“The coronavirus is a serious motive, but it seems to me it's still an excuse.

This is the position of the administration, such an order from Washington, it is hard to believe in such coincidences, "TASS quoted Smirnov as saying.

"Ovechkin will still have time to become an Olympic champion"

If the NHL verdict itself in the country was commented on with restraint, then they regretted being deprived of the opportunity to speak at, probably, the last Olympics in Ovechkin's career.

By the time of the next Games in Milan in 2026, the striker will be 40 years old, and it is difficult to say whether he will play for the Russian national team.

The same goes for Malkin, who is only a year younger.

Two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov said bluntly that the overseas league had “killed” their dream.

“I understand that the NHL is really worried about the health of the players, but in China there is now a low infection rate ... They earn more in their championship, and not in such a volume at the Olympics ... It turns out that with its refusal the NHL“ kills ”all our great guys: Ovechkina, Malkin.

For them, this may be the final Olympics.

This was their last chance, "- quotes the words of Kozhevnikov" RB-Sport ".

However, many believe: the forward of "Washington" is able to hold out until the Olympic Games in Italy.

For example, according to the two-time Olympic champion Vyacheslav Fetisov, 40 years is not an age for Ovechkin.

At the same time, he doubted that he could be released to Beijing as an exception.

“With the humanism of the NHL people?

Although he has a good relationship with the owner.

Last time he tried ... Sasha's desire alone is not enough here - the NHL can do its part.

Let's see what will be Sasha's reaction to what is happening.

We will wait, ”Fetisov explained.

He believes in Alexander and Darius Kasparaitis, according to whom the Russian hockey player at 36 has the best season of his career.

“He will also have time to become an Olympic champion.

I don’t think that Beijing was the last chance for Alexander ... It’s a pity that we will not see the best players in the world, but for Russia it’s even a plus - now there are more chances for Olympic gold, ”the Olympic champion emphasized.

Not only Ovechkin will miss his chance, but also other Russian stars performing in the NHL.

Malkin and Alexander Radulov will be 39 in 2026, Sergey Bobrovsky - 37, Dmitry Orlov, Artemy Panarin and Vladimir Tarasenko - 34 each, and Evgeny Kuznetsov - 33.

Some of them may not go to Milan, others will be far from ideal conditions.

Dan Milstein, an agent of Tampa hockey players Andrei Vasilevsky and Nikita Kucherov, recalled this.

“Indeed, the clients of our agency are very upset.

This offseason, they prepared three times harder than ever to not only play in the NHL regular season and playoffs, but also to play for the Russian national team in Beijing.

Of course, the Olympics are the dream of any athlete ... Unfortunately, for some of them these could potentially be the last Olympic Games, "Milstein emphasized.

"Gusev will be able to shine in Beijing"

Paradoxically, what happened can only benefit the Russian national team, because in the absence of overseas stars, it will become the main favorite of the Olympic Games in Beijing.

A similar situation developed in 2018 in Pyeongchang, when a team made up of the leading domestic hockey players playing in the KHL won the Olympics.

The fans saw the prototype of the team, which will go to China in February, at the Channel One Cup.

In Moscow, the hosts turned out to be stronger than Canada, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and only Finland lost in overtime.

However, some fear that the OI level will be comparable to that of Euro Hockey Tour.

“Everything will be gray, wretched, sad.

Players will bark at the puck.

Let's see ... But the Russian guys simply have no choice.

They will be told "let's go" and they will go.

How can someone not go ”?

- said the former goalkeeper of the Russian national team Ilya Bryzgalov.

Under these conditions, the headquarters remains to rely on the KHL stars - Vadim Shipachev, Mikhail Grigorenko and, of course, Nikita Gusev.

The latter also became one of the leaders of the team at the OI-2018, gaining 12 points according to the "goal + pass" system (4 + 8) in six matches.

Also, the forward scored a double in the final with Germany and, a minute before the end of regular time, transferred the meeting to overtime.

The first coach of the hockey player, Gennady Kurdin, believes that his ward is quite capable of showing himself in China.

“Nikita performed brilliantly at the Olympics in Pyeongchang.

I think he will be able to shine in Beijing if he gets into the national team.

Now Nikita is in the prime of his life, he is in excellent shape, "the specialist noted.

Speaking about the future of the national team in Beijing, many experts urged domestic hockey players to be more careful with their rivals and not hang gold medals around their necks in advance.

For example, two-time Olympic champion Boris Mayorov recalled that decisive confrontation with Germany in 2018, in which Oleg Znark's wards were nearly defeated.

“Sport is such a thing that the strongest does not always win.

You still need to seriously prepare for the competition, you need to take seriously any opponent who will be there.

Remember the last Olympic Games, it was a miracle that saved us, ”TASS quotes Mayorov as saying.

According to the former coach of the Russian national team Vladimir Plyushchev, other participants will also bring strong rosters to China, even if there are no NHL stars in them.

“The Channel One Cup showed that everyone has good potential.

We are also among the favorites.

We don't have a star cast?

Our league is not very stellar either.

If there were bright performers, but where do you get them?

But on the PDA we showed that we can do something.

Although it will be more difficult at the Olympics, "Plyushchev shared his expectations.

At the same time, in other countries, they are not going to give up the fight for awards because of the NHL's verdict.

The US Ice Hockey Federation has promised to assemble a team that will qualify for gold medals.

And in Canada, they announced their desire to form a new national team of hockey players who, with their work and talent, have earned such a right.

How deep the reserves of the Maple Leaves were demonstrated in the last World Championship, which they won without the support of the stars.