The two-time Stanley Cup champion reportedly attended an event honoring members of the Russian Armed Forces in February 2024.
The Hockey Hall of Fame has drawn the ire of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) for its planned induction of former Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk in November.
In June, Datsyuk was announced alongside Shea Weber, Jeremy Roenick, Natalie Darwitz, Krissy-Wendell Pohl, David Poile and Colin Campbell as part of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.
By July 30, the UCC penned a letter to the Canadian minister of foreign affairs and the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship expressing its concern about Datsyuk’s entry into Canada for his induction, which is scheduled to take place in Toronto in November.
Of particular concern to the nonprofit umbrella organization was a report of Datsyuk attending a February 2024 event honoring members of the Russian Armed Forces.
According to Russian media outlet ura.news, Datsyuk attended a hockey tournament dedicated to two Russian military members who died in combat in the conflict against Ukraine.
The UCC letter argues Datsyuk’s participation in the event “signifies his endorsement of Russia’s invasion, the terror Russia has brought to Ukrainian cities and towns and the systemic, brutal atrocities that Russia has committed against Ukrainian civilians.”
The letter concluded by saying the Hall of Fame’s planned induction of Datsyuk was “deeply offensive” and alleged it “would hand a propaganda victory to Russia.”
The UCC urged the Canadian government not to grant Datsyuk entry into the country in November to demonstrate Canada’s “commitment to justice and human rights.”
In a separate letter addressed to the Hall of Fame, the UCC requested that Datsyuk’s induction be rescinded.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the UCC tagged former NHL goalie Dominik Hasek, who has been a vocal advocate against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russian athletes participating in sporting events, such as the Olympics. In July, he also commented on Datsyuk's induction, saying he "undoubtedly deserves a place in the HHOF" but that appearing at the ceremony without having condemned the invasion would serve as an advertisement of it.
On Aug. 19, the UCC published the Hall of Fame’s response signed by Jeff Denomme, the president of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The letter said membership in the Hall of Fame is “recognition for individual accomplishments as an elite athlete competing at the highest level for a prolonged period” and eligibility is not based on matters relating to a candidate’s nationality.
The HHOF further stressed the importance of “excellence in the game of hockey” as the foundation of its induction process.
The UCC responded by saying Datsyuk’s nationality was never in question, but his actions as an individual to attend the event dedicated to the Russian military members were.
The UCC suggested that Datsyuk could “publicly condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine and explain the circumstances under which the Russian media came to write the reports in question.”
Datsyuk is one of many former and current Russian NHLers to face criticism for not condemning Russia’s role in the conflict against Ukraine.
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin has routinely drawn attention from the media for his relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin, whom he has publicly supported in the past.
Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov is a notable exception, as he condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He acknowledged the dangers of speaking out but also urged other athletes to speak up.
“There’s some guys who don’t want to lose the right to go back to Russia, they still have family, and some guys are afraid for their family, that something will happen to them,” Zadorov told The Hockey News' Calgary Flames site. “There’s a lot of things going on. There’s a harder situation going on in the country compared to Canada and the United States.”
Datsyuk, a three-time Selke Trophy recipient, retired from the NHL after the 2015-16 season and has not commented on the Russian invasion, which began in 2022, to American or Canadian media.
In July, Datsyuk was in attendance at the Detroit Red Wings development camp, where he skated with many awestruck Red Wings prospects. He was also asked by the media about his Hall of Fame induction.
“Hard to believe and of course I feel like I’m lucky boy,” Datsyuk said.
The Class of 2024 induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 11, 2024, at Brookfield Place in Toronto.
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