Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin skates after an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Ukraine advocates ask Ottawa to sanction NHL’s Alex Ovechkin after Putin commercial
Sep 18, 2026 | 11:31 AM
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OTTAWA — Liberal MPs are condemning a pro hockey player’s support for the Putin regime but are stopping short of calling for him to be banned from Canada.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is calling on Ottawa to sanction and ban Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin for appearing in a commercial for a party aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ovechkin appeared in a television ad standing behind Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as Lavrov vowed “no mercy” for those who attack Russia.
The UCC is repeating calls from 2022 for Ovechkin to be banned for supporting Putin, who attacked in Ukraine in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022.
