Ukrainian Canadians Rally Against Ovechkin's Putin Ties in Ottawa as Capitals Win in Overtime

Ukrainian Canadians rallied outside Ottawa's NHL arena on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to protest Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin's public support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Ovechkin made his first trip to Canada of what he has said will be his final NHL season ^[4]. The rally, organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress outside the Canadian Tire Centre, was set to begin at 5:30 p.m., ahead of the game against the Senators ^[2]. The Senators said they knew of the planned demonstration and would "have appropriate measures in place to ensure the safety of our fans," CP24 reported ^[2]. OutKick reported that protesters turned out in large numbers ^[4].

Inside, the night went Washington's way, though not easily. Cole Hutson scored 1:14 into overtime, on a play set up by Ovechkin, to give the Capitals a 3-2 win, NHL.com reported ^[5]. Matt Roy scored 35 seconds into the game before Ottawa answered in the second period on goals by Ridly Greig and Hayden Hodgson, whose tally was his first NHL goal since March 2022 ^[5]. The Senators outshot Washington 17-2 in that period, and the Capitals went more than 21 minutes without a shot on goal before Pierre-Luc Dubois tied it at 12:31 of the third ^[5]. Logan Thompson made 24 saves for the win ^[5]. The Canadian Press recap credited Ovechkin with the assist on Hutson's winner ^[6]. That assist tied Nicklas Backstrom for the most in Capitals history at 762, according to NHL.com ^[5]. Washington improved to 10-6-0; Ottawa fell to 11-6-2 ^[5].

Ovechkin's Response

Asked about the protest before the game, Ovechkin said, "I don't know what to say," according to OutKick ^[4]. CTV News Ottawa reported that he did not directly address the demonstration, observing only that there were "lots of protests going on" while fielding questions about Prime Minister Mark Carney's stance on Russian players ^[1]. On Carney's position, Ovechkin called it the prime minister's thoughts and decisions, said fans want to see the best players and young future stars, and said the matter is not up to the players, OutKick reported ^[4].

The protesters' message was blunt. Ukrainian Canadian Congress national president Alexandra Chyczij said in an October statement that the league's celebration of Ovechkin, while ignoring his support for what she called a genocidal regime, is a moral blot on the league ^[2]. Mike Ryndzak, a Congress member, told CBC that Ovechkin's appearance in Ottawa was unacceptable while the destruction in Ukraine continues, OutKick reported ^[4]. The group has urged Canada's immigration minister to deny Ovechkin entry ^[2].

The Capitals, for their part, have said Ovechkin was asked to appear in a September campaign ad for Putin's United Russia party while spending the summer in Russia, where he lives with his family in the off-season, The Canadian Press reported ^[3].

A Long Record of Putin Ties

The protest did not come out of nowhere. In 2017, Ovechkin launched a movement called "Putin Team," saying he simply supported his country ^[3]. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, he called for an end to the war but defended his relationship with Putin, calling him his president and describing himself as an athlete, not a politician ^[3]. In September, he appeared in the United Russia campaign ad standing behind Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ^[3].

Two House of Commons petitions, sponsored by Liberal MPs Yvan Baker and Bardish Chagger, have asked the federal government to sanction Ovechkin, a step that could bar him from Canada ^[3]. The Baker-sponsored petition had drawn 2,815 signatures, while the Chagger petition closed Nov. 5 with 649, CP24 reported ^[2].

The Russia Question Hangs Over the World Juniors

The rally landed in the middle of a widening fight over Russia's return to international hockey. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Oct. 30 that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russia, which has been barred since the invasion ^[3]. The IIHF said it disagreed with the ruling but was taking the steps needed to comply, OutKick reported ^[4]. Carney said Russian players would not be allowed to represent their country at next month's world junior championship in Alberta, The Canadian Press reported ^[3]; OutKick described that as Ottawa's original stance ^[4].

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Other nations are drawing their own lines. Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Norway, Latvia and Denmark have said they will boycott games against Russia while the war continues, and Germany, host of the 2027 men's world championship, suggested it could withdraw if Russia plays, according to OutKick ^[4]. Putin, through the state-run outlet TASS, criticized organizations that block Russian athletes ^[4].

For many fans, the evening captured a hard truth about sports and conscience. A great career does not erase a public embrace of the leader whose forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and Ukrainian Canadians exercised their right to say so ^[4]. Ovechkin has described himself as an athlete, not a politician, and his team says the ad was made while he was home in Russia ^[3]. With the World Juniors weeks away and calls for sanctions unresolved, the debate over Russia's place in hockey is far from settled.