There has been a lot of talk about what is going to happen with Russian athletes and their eligibility to participate in international events, and for the most part, it appears as though they'll he punished for the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, even if they do not support him.
However, when it comes to the impact that Russia invading Ukraine might have on Russian players playing in the NHL, we have not heard too much about what might happen. That is, until Monday, when TSN's Rick Westhead reported that Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin is at risk of losing endorsements.
Per Westhead, Ovechkin still features a photo of he and Putin on his Instagram page, and it has his put corporate partners in a precarious position. After all, it's very hard to market your product when you're using a Putin supporter to help you sell it.
Ovechkin, being the hockey icon that he is, was very marketable up until Russia invaded Ukraine. Now, his affiliation with the Russian President will definitely cost him both money and opportunities.
This past week, Ovechkin became public enemy number one in a lot of people's eyes when he opted to pass on his media availability at the request of the Capitals. He did eventually speak, trying to send the message that he was not in support of the war, but many have called out his message as disingenuous.
