Dominik Hasek (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Sports)
Former Buffalo Sabres star goaltender Dominik Hasek has spoken out numerous times about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war that followed. But this week, Hasek said he’s received death threats from Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.
In comments published Tuesday by Russian news agency TASS, Medvedev said through his assistant that Hasek suffered from ‘Russophobia” and that Hasek should “not drink beer in unverified places” and be careful crossing the street. And Hasek spoke on ‘X’ to respond to Medvedev’s comments.
“Today I sent 2 official letters,” Hasek wrote. “One to the @iocmedia President and the members of the Executive Board. And the other to the @IIHFHockey President and the members of the Council. I inform them that former Russian President Medvedev threatened to kill me. Furthermore, among other things, I point out how important their decisions will be in the coming months and again offer assistance in creating rules so that sports competitions are not an advertisement for the Russian war and people do not die because of them. I consider both letters very important not only for the IOC and IIHF, but for the entire sports and also non-sports community. Therefore, I will publish them in a few days.”
Hasek, a Czechia citizen, has been very active politically, including running for the Czech senate in 2024. In the wake of Medvedev’s comments, multiple Czech politicians came out in support of Hasek.
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Hasek, a Hockey Hall-of-Famer who spent nine seasons in Buffalo, has been a vocal and consistent critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On numerous occasions, he has criticized the NHL and International Ice Hockey Federation for not taking a tougher stance on the Russia/Ukraine war.
