Ovechkin tells CNN his plan to unite Russia and USA through hockey

An expose article published by the Wall Street Journal this past week revealed that White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was in favor of banning some of the NHL's biggest Russian stars from the league in an effort to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his forces from Ukraine.

“The administration needed to explore alternative trades that wouldn’t include the murderer or other ways to pressure the Kremlin,” the reporting reads. “Sullivan had considered punishing Putin by expelling Russian hockey players in America, including Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL star chasing who was Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record. He ultimately decided against it.”

The ban on Russian players would have meant that Ovechkin would have been shelved for at least last season, which would have halted his goal total 41 goals behind Gretzky... indefinitely.

Obviously, the plan never came to fruition and Ovechkin and his Russian brethren continue to make their impact on the NHL. Meanwhile though, relations between Russia and the rest of the world continue to wither, but Ovi himself says he has a plan to unite his home country and his adopted country of USA.

While participating in the Ovi Cup gala match over the weekend, Ovechkin spoke with CNN’s Fred Pleitgen and expressed hope that hockey could unite Americans and Russians despite political tensions.

“Both countries love hockey, so I hope it’s going to connect well and we will see,” Ovechkin told Pleitgen.

“I’m Russian, right? Something I can’t control. It’s not in my hands. I hope it’s going to end soon and it’s going to be peace in both countries. I don’t control this one,” Ovechkin said back in 2022 when Putin and Russia invaded Ukraine. “He’s my president. But I’m not in politics, I’m an athlete. I hope everything is gonna be done soon. It’s [a] sad situation right now for both sides.”