.. it’s now not “if” but when.
As reported here, Russian troops are massing at key points along Ukraine’s border. There will be a swift attack, territory will be secured and lives will be lost. Another human tragedy caused by greed. Then Putin will turn to the West and say: “so, what are ya gonna do about it?”
Sadly, the West is pretty much at a loss here. Financial weakness, military adventures recently ended and a general distaste at home for yet another foreign war have nicely handcuffed most Western leaders. Even Harper, despite his photo-op-driven bravado can do little more than spew and hiss.
Or, can he do more?
The curious thing about Canada is that we are home to the largest single employer of Russian athletes abroad – the NHL (yes, yes, I know that the HQ is in NYC… but we’re still the “spiritual home, no?). The following are the Russian players now in the league:
No. | Player | Position | Team | Date of birth | Place of birth |
25 | Mikhail Grigorenko | C | Buffalo Sabres | 05/16/1994 | Khabarovsk, RUS |
61 | Nikita Zadorov* | D | Buffalo Sabres | 04/16/1995 | Moscow, RUS |
28 | Alexander Semin | RW | Carolina Hurricanes | 03/03/1984 | Krasnoyarsk, RUS |
31 | Anton Khudobin | G | Carolina Hurricanes | 05/07/1986 | Ust-Kamenogorsk, KAZ |
39 | Nikolai Khabibulin | G | Chicago Blackhawks | 01/14/1973 | Ekaterinburg, RUS |
1 | Semyon Varlamov | G | Colorado Avalanche | 04/27/1988 | Samara, RUS |
6 | Nikita Nikitin | D | Columbus Blue Jackets | 06/16/1986 | Omsk, RUS |
42 | Artem Anisimov | C | Columbus Blue Jackets | 05/24/1988 | Yaroslavl, RUS |
51 | Fedor Tyutin | D | Columbus Blue Jackets | 07/19/1983 | Izhevsk, RUS |
72 | Sergei Bobrovsky | G | Columbus Blue Jackets | 09/20/1988 | Novokuznetsk, RUS |
43 | Valeri Nichushkin* | RW | Dallas Stars | 03/04/1995 | Chelyabinsk, RUS |
55 | Sergei Gonchar | D | Dallas Stars | 04/13/1974 | Chelyabinsk, RUS |
13 | Pavel Datsyuk | C | Detroit Red Wings | 07/20/1978 | Ekaterinburg, RUS |
47 | Alexei Marchenko* | D | Detroit Red Wings | 01/02/1992 | Moscow, RUS |
37 | Denis Grebeshkov | D | Edmonton Oilers | 10/11/1983 | Yaroslavl, RUS |
64 | Nail Yakupov | RW | Edmonton Oilers | 10/06/1993 | Nizhnekamsk, RUS |
77 | Anton Belov* | D | Edmonton Oilers | 07/29/1986 | Ryazan, RUS |
80 | Ilya Bryzgalov | G | Edmonton Oilers | 06/22/1980 | Togliatti, RUS |
7 | Dmitry Kulikov | D | Florida Panthers | 10/29/1990 | Lipetsk, RUS |
26 | Vyacheslav Voynov | D | Los Angeles Kings | 01/15/1990 | Chelyabinsk, RUS |
74 | Alexei Emelin | D | Montreal Canadiens | 04/25/1986 | Togliatti, RUS |
79 | Andrei Markov | D | Montreal Canadiens | 12/20/1978 | Voskresensk, RUS |
21 | Andrei Loktionov | C | New Jersey Devils | 05/30/1990 | Voskresensk, RUS |
28 | Anton Volchenkov | D | New Jersey Devils | 02/25/1982 | Moscow, RUS |
20 | Evgeni Nabokov | G | New York Islanders | 07/25/1975 | Ust-Kamenogorsk, KAZ |
71 | Evgeni Malkin | C | Pittsburgh Penguins | 07/31/1986 | Magnitogorsk, RUS |
91 | Vladimir Tarasenko | RW | St. Louis Blues | 12/13/1991 | Yaroslavl, RUS |
56 | Nikita Kucherov* | RW | Tampa Bay Lightning | 06/17/1993 | Moscow, RUS |
41 | Nikolai Kulemin | LW | Toronto Maple Leafs | 07/14/1986 | Magnitogorsk, RUS |
8 | Alexander Ovechkin | LW | Washington Capitals | 09/17/1985 | Moscow, RUS |
81 | Dmitry Orlov | D | Washington Capitals | 07/23/1991 | Novokuznetsk, |
That’s quite a talent pool. And these cats make lots of good ol’ $US (I believe they are all paid in greenbacks).
What if the US and Canada revoked their work permits? Sent them home? I know it wouldn’t stop Putin, but it might give him a taste of the economic and cultural isolation that would be waiting for him if he carried aloing his jingoist path. This would be more a symbolic act than anything else, but we really don’t have many other tools at our disposal, do we?
Man, the Oilers and Columbus would NOT be pleased!
But I would love to see Ovechkin’s sorry butt escorted to the airport!
Thoughts?
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