Hockey aside, what is occurring in Europe at this time is certainly drawing a lot of attention and generating intense discussion on social media. When it comes to hockey, I'm sure that most players are happy to leave politics out of it and just focus on the game. But what happens when they can't?
Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin was summoned by the media on Thursday, ahead of the Caps' matchup against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The only problem was that the Caps declined to make Ovi available to speak on account of what is happening overseas and what it could mean for Ovechkin and his family if the information is misinterpreted.
The intensifying situation between Russia and Ukraine is not something that anyone is or should be taking lightly. In Ovechkin's case, he has family in Russia. His wife, children and parents are there, and in the interest of their safety, the Caps want to ensure that Ovechkin has time to prepare a proper and concise statement on the matter so that nothing he says can be taken out of context, and honestly - how can anyone blame the guy for not wanting to potentially put his family in harm's way?
While there's no guarantee that the media had planned to bombard The Great 8 with questions about the actions of his Nation's leader and Russia's invasive actions towards Ukraine, Ovechkin and the Caps are right to play this one close to the chest and take their time in making Ovechkin available to speak publicly.
