Canadians continue to play hockey for Kontinental Hockey League teams in Russia and Belarus despite the Canadian governmentB次元官网网址檚 warning to get out of those countries.
The 48 Canadian players currently on KHL club rosters this season is the most from any country outside Russia.
Forty-four are playing for clubs within Russian and Belarusian borders, with the other four in Kazakhstan.
Russia, with Belarus a supporter, invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Canada has been firmly on the side of Ukraine in the conflict with $626 million in military aid and over $320 million in humanitarian assistance since February, as well imposing financial sanctions on Russia and Belarus.
B次元官网网址淧resident (Vladimir) PutinB次元官网网址檚 war in Ukraine is a war on freedom, on democracy and on the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future,B次元官网网址� wrote Adrien Blanchard, press secretary for Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, in an emailed statement to The Canadian Press.
B次元官网网址淎s Canadians, these are values we hold dear. Athletes who decide to play and associate with Russia and Belarus should explain their decisions to the public.B次元官网网址�
Alberta-based player agent Ritchie Winter, who has three clients in the KHL, says players have a right to make a living in their profession as other Canadians do working in foreign countries.
B次元官网网址淲e live in a world where individuals are allowed to make those decisions. ItB次元官网网址檚 just an individual decision related to an employment opportunity,B次元官网网址� Winter said. B次元官网网址淗as every player thatB次元官网网址檚 gone, push, tugged and pulled and wrestled with the decision? Yeah, absolutely.
B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, theyB次元官网网址檙e husbands and fathers who have responsibilities to their families. If youB次元官网网址檙e a young family with limited resources because you played mostly in the minors, thereB次元官网网址檚 a desire to take care of your family.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes that leads people to the oilfields in Kazakhstan and sometimes it leads them to the KHL.B次元官网网址�
Advisories to avoid travel to Russia and Belarus were issued March 5 and Feb. 24 respectively, Global Affairs Canada told The Canadian Press in a statement.
B次元官网网址淥ur government has been very clear. Canadians should avoid all travel to Russia and Belarus,B次元官网网址� said Blanchard. B次元官网网址淚f they are in Russia or in Belarus, they should leave now. Our ability to provide consular services may become extremely limited.B次元官网网址�
Dozens of Canadians play in menB次元官网网址檚 pro leagues across Europe every year. A top KHL player can make over US$1 million a year in salary.
The Canadian Press messaged nine Canadian players in the KHL asking what assurances theyB次元官网网址檇 received from that league and their teams in regard to their personal safety. None responded.
B次元官网网址淭here were a number of players caught in the crosshairs last year when all of this happened. They stayed and didnB次元官网网址檛 see any risk,B次元官网网址� Winter said.
B次元官网网址淔rom what the players tell me, the environment isnB次元官网网址檛 changed from what it has (been) previously. Many of them have balanced that risk and determined that they would play there.B次元官网网址�
He also knows of players who turned down opportunities to play in the KHL this season.
B次元官网网址淓verybody has a different risk profile,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had Canadian and American clients turn down massive amounts of money compared to what theyB次元官网网址檒l make here.B次元官网网址�
There were 53 Canadians in the KHL last season. Seven played for LatviaB次元官网网址檚 Riga Dynamo, which along with FinlandB次元官网网址檚 Helsinki Jokerit withdrew from the league.
B次元官网网址淪omething I obviously donB次元官网网址檛 support is the war thatB次元官网网址檚 going on,B次元官网网址� said forward Jake Virtanen, who is on a tryout contract with the Oilers after playing 36 games for Spartak Moscow last season.
B次元官网网址淚t was one of the main reasons why I left. ItB次元官网网址檚 a tough situation. Me, personally, I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 go back because of it.B次元官网网址�
Ukraine supporter United States is entangled in a diplomatic row with Russia over a pro athlete.
WNBA all-star Brittney Griner, who plays pro basketball for Ekaterinburg in the off-season, was sentenced Aug. 4 to nine years in prison for drug possession.
When she arrived in Moscow on Feb. 17, police said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.
Winter says Russians playing in the NHL deters a possible retaliatory detention of a Canadian player over CanadaB次元官网网址檚 support of Ukraine, but a McGill associate Professor of Political Science says the risk exists.
B次元官网网址淩ussia doesnB次元官网网址檛 have any rule of law, so anybody who is in Russia is always in danger of being framed, incarcerated, used as a pawn in whatever the local government, central government et cetera decides to do,B次元官网网址� Maria Popova said.
The risk of a Canadian hockey player detained by local, state or central governments is low to moderate, B次元官网网址渂ut there is a risk,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think something like what happened to Brittney Griner is possible. The same playbook can be repeated in a case against a Canadian player for sure.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 see why Russia would try to use these people as a pawn because Canada is not RussiaB次元官网网址檚 main problem in this war,B次元官网网址� Popova continued.
B次元官网网址淭here isnB次元官网网址檛 really any hope that Russia could change Canadian policy in Ukraine. They know Canada is firmly in NATO, clearly backing Ukraine.B次元官网网址�
Goaltender Andrew Hammond was the most recent Canadian to sign with a KHL club. He joined Chelyabinsk Traktor on Sept. 16.
Craig Woodcroft, the brother of Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft, coaches MinskB次元官网网址檚 KHL team in Belarus.
B次元官网网址淲ith whatB次元官网网址檚 going on in the world obviously, weB次元官网网址檙e paying attention to that for sure,B次元官网网址� Jay Woodcroft said.
B次元官网网址淢y brother is in Belarus, so itB次元官网网址檚 not the big Russian mainland, but they play in that league. HeB次元官网网址檚 carved a good career for himself there at a high level in the KHL.B次元官网网址�
Seven Canadians in the KHL wore the Maple Leaf in BeijingB次元官网网址檚 Olympic Games in February just before Russia invaded Ukraine, including goaltender Ed Pasquale (Metallurg Magnitogorsk) and forwards Corban Knight (Avangard Omsk) and Josh Ho-Sang (Salavat Yulaev).
B次元官网网址擠onna Spencer, The Canadian Press
