Recently, foreign hockey players have been repeatedly subjected to pressure for the decision to play in the KHL, but the case of Dmitry Yashkin stands out against the general background.
For signing a contract with St. Petersburg SKA, the Czech striker was criticized not only by the local media and fans, but also by the legendary goalkeeper Dominik Hasek.
The 1998 Olympic champion reproached him for supporting the "Russian regime", and also called for sending to prison those citizens of the country who agreed to work in the Russian Federation.
Domestic fans have long been familiar with Yashkin.
In the 2018/19 season, he played for Washington together with Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov, but did not convince the coaches and went to the KHL for the first time in the summer.
Cech moved to Dynamo Moscow and immediately became one of the strongest strikers in the league.
In the very first year, he took second place in the scorers race (31 + 32), losing in points only to his teammate Vadim Shipachev, and the next season he shipped 38 goals and became the league's best sniper.
After that, Dmitry considered it logical to try his luck again in the NHL and went to Arizona, but a severe injury ruined everything.
In November, he suffered a lower body injury in a meeting with Nashville and was out for the rest of the regular season, scoring just one point in 12 games.
Yashkin's career needed a reboot, which he decided to spend in Russia.
By this time, the rights to the native of Omsk still belonged to Dynamo, but Muscovites started a restructuring and might not be interested in attracting a highly paid star hockey player.
This was taken advantage of by SKA, which paid compensation to the blue and white for his contract.
According to Sport-Express, it amounted to 35 million rubles.
At the same time, in St. Petersburg, Dmitry was offered extremely favorable conditions.
According to Match TV, in one season he can earn up to 100 million rubles.
“St. Petersburg SKA approached us with a very advantageous offer.
We had several options for the exchange of rights.
We made a choice in favor of monetary compensation, which is beneficial for the club,” said Andrey Sopin, general manager of Muscovites.
As the striker's agent Gleb Chistyakov said, several NHL teams were interested in his services, but he preferred to return to Russia.
“The contract with SKA was signed for a season.
According to my information, negotiations with Dynamo Moscow, which had the rights to Dmitry in the KHL, turned out to be quite lengthy, but it is better to contact the clubs for details.
Yashkin is happy to return to the KHL.
He had options in the NHL, but at the moment they did not suit him.
In SKA, there are good conditions and a chance to prove yourself, as well as compete for the Gagarin Cup.
It was one of the main motivations, ”said the representative of the forward to the Championship.
In the country, Yashkin's arrival in the northern capital was received extremely positively.
In his face, the league received a bright and high-class athlete, who, by his mere presence, can raise the prestige of the championship and demonstrate that top foreigners are still ready to play in it.
And this is especially important given recent events.
Latvian Miks Indrashis refused to defend the colors of Spartak and signed an agreement with the German Schwenninger, despite the current contract with the red and white.
And Daniel Odette terminated the contract with Vityaz near Moscow a couple of months after signing.
“Yashkin by the standards of the KHL is an elite player, in this regard, only a limited circle of teams could qualify for him.
SKA won this fight, for which the management ... can be congratulated.
The line of attack of the Petersburgers already looked impressive, and the arrival of Yashkin would add power to it.
Dmitry is a leader, and in the KHL he showed himself as a sniper.
SKA management convinced a European player to come to Russia - now this is especially valuable when it comes to a hockey player of such a class as Yashkin.
So this is definitely a victory in the transfer market, and the club has significantly strengthened its position in the West, ”Leonid Weisfeld, a well-known referee and former general manager of Salavat Yulaev, told the Championship.
True, in the Czech Republic, Yashkin's transition was not perceived so positively.
Fans criticized his decision on social media, but Dominik Hasek went the farthest.
He left about 30 messages on this topic on social networks, not only condemning Czech athletes performing in Russia, but also called for a ban on this at the legislative level.
In his opinion, 15 years in prison would be an adequate measure of restraint for this.
“The work of a Czech citizen in Russia is support for a special operation in Ukraine.
Therefore, it is a danger to our country and its citizens.
However, I do not blame the guy or his agent, but the Czech government and parliament for not passing a law prohibiting this, ”Hashek wrote.
In Russia, the words of the legendary goalkeeper, as expected, caused outrage, and many were quick to recall the Czech of his performances for Spartak, in which he spent the last season of his career.
So, two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov called his statement “nonsense” and was surprised how he changed his position.
“I used to look for meetings with Russians, played here and everything was fine.
Now Dominic has gone over like this.
Just a little fascist, a sick person, ”RIA Novosti quotes Kozhevnikov.
Agreed with him and three-time world champion Alexei Tereshchenko.
In his opinion, if such a law is approved, the Czech government should first of all apply it in relation to Hasek himself.
“Let them put him in jail - he worked in Russia at one time.
Worked normally.
If he's an idiot, what can you say?
They are all idiots.
Some impotence, madness, just dementia.
Natural idiot.
Let him come to Russia - we'll see.
All this is populism.
It is safer in Russia than in the whole world, and life is completely different than in the whole world, ”Championship” quotes Tereshchenko.
In turn, the former coach of the Russian youth team, Vladimir Plushev, suggested that with such statements, Gashek hopes to make a career in politics for himself.
“Hashek has been spouting all sorts of filth against us for a long time.
Although he himself fed decently here and was happy with everything that was given to him.
There have always been those who profit from cheap prestige.
Maybe Hasek is aiming for politics, in the Czech Republic there were already leaders from the actors, now there will also be a goalkeeper with a broken head.
Will this pressure affect Yashkin?
All people are alive, any psychological pressure has an impact.
It depends on how Yashkin is adapted and ready for this.
His roots are Russian.
Since he accepted the offer of SKA, it means that he understood what he was getting into, ”Plyushchev expressed his opinion.
Two-time Olympic winner Boris Mikhailov urged not to pay attention to the words of Hasek, and the ex-forward of Avangard Maxim Sushinsky asked not to mix politics and sports.
“Well, if they knead it, then let them reap it.
Athletes themselves do not want this.
They play and earn money.
What did Hasek say?
Did he also come to Russia for some reason?
Of course, to earn more money.
And why did he play in Russia then, if he is such a Russophobe?
Sushinsky told Sport24.