Dominik Hasek condemns Donald Trump for "wanting to justify & legalize worst crimes of 21st century" through hockey after Vladimir Putin meeting

Former NHL goaltender Dominik Hasek has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for his recent phone call meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Hasek accused Trump of using hockey to justify serious crimes. He said the world should focus on holding Putin accountable instead.

"I woke up today and it's still hard for me to believe that the current American president wants to use such a beautiful sport as ice hockey to justify and legalize the worst crimes of the 21st century! Instead of doing everything together with the entire democratic world to ensure that the greatest criminal of our time, Putin, is tried for his terrible crimes. Unfortunately, this is the reality today." Hasek tweeted.

Trump and Putin spoke for over two hours about Ukraine, global security and U.S.-Russia relations. Trump proposed a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin agreed to pause attacks on energy sites but made demands Ukraine rejected.

During the call, Trump and Putin also discussed hockey. However, Hasek has long spoken against Russia’s actions in Ukraine. He previously called for Czech athletes to avoid playing in Russia. He believes this would stop them from supporting the Russian regime.

"The work of a Czech citizen in the Russian Federation is supporting the Russian regime, the war against Ukraine, and therefore a danger to our country and its citizens," Hasek said, via RFERL.

Earlier Dominik Hasek criticized the NHL for allowing Russian players to compete

In Oct. 2022, Dominik Hasek criticized the NHL for allowing Russian players to compete in Prague.

"We know that if we don’t stop the Russians in Ukraine," Hasek said, via The Athletic. "then we will be one of the next in line... Russia must be defeated and forced back into its territory. There is no other way to peace. Believe that."

Hasek believes the NHL helps Russia by promoting its athletes. He said it is:

"a billion-dollar advertisement for the Russian state and its actions."

Dominik Hasek has grown up under communist rule and fears that if Ukraine falls, his country will be next in line. Hasek has also called Alexander Ovechkin “chickens–t” for refusing to condemn the war.

"I called him chickens–t because I was very upset with what he said," Hasek said. "He said politics is not connected to sports, and he doesn’t know about war."

Dominik Hasek has even called out NHL leaders Gary Bettman and Bill Daly to resign for disrespecting the Czech government’s stance.