Goaltender for Ukraine’s national hockey team makes controversial statement
(MENAFN) Eduard Zakharchenko, the goaltender for Ukraine’s national hockey team, made a controversial statement expressing his desire for Russian hockey legend Alexander Ovechkin to suffer an injury that would prevent him from breaking the NHL’s all-time scoring record.
Ahead of a game in which Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s record, Zakharchenko told Ukrainian outlet Sport24ua that he hoped “his legs will be torn off and he won’t succeed.” Although he admitted following Ovechkin’s progress like many of his teammates, he said the Russian forward didn’t deserve public admiration due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Zakharchenko acknowledged the historical importance of Ovechkin’s pursuit but made clear his preference for Gretzky to remain the record holder. Ovechkin, a long-time Washington Capitals player, ultimately broke the record in a match against the New York Islanders, just one game after tying it.
The Russian star, a three-time world champion and 2018 Stanley Cup winner, thanked his teammates, fans, and Russia after the milestone achievement, declaring, “We did it boys, we did it!”
Born in Vladivostok, Russia, Zakharchenko later moved to Ukraine and began his hockey career in Russia’s third-tier league. In 2017, he received a lifetime ban from Ukraine’s hockey federation due to match-fixing allegations during an international game against South Korea. He was later pardoned and returned to the Ukrainian national team in 2021.
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