Reports that Ovechkin could be banned from entering Canada

Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin has found himself in the news this week and it's not for his goal scoring exploits. 

Multiple well respected NHL journalists have penned articles in the past week condemning Ovechkin for his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's unjust war against Ukraine. New York Post reporter Larry Brooks absolutely ripped Ovi apart in his latest column, stating that it's "impossible to celebrate" Ovechkin's chase of Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record when he is so closely aligned with Putin and his politics.

From Brooks:

It is impossible to celebrate Ovechkin the man, who for years not only publicly aligned himself with the genocidal Russian president Vladimir Putin and his policies, but attempted to lead a movement in his support as late as 2017.

Ovechkin is chasing history and an icon. This should be a wonderful journey in which all sports fans can share. But it is not that simple. It is not that easy. What is worthy of adulation?

Ovechkin the hockey player is Ovechkin the man. Ovechkin the goal-scorer is Ovechkin the ardent supporter of Putin.

He is no hero.

- Larry Brooks

Today the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) has made an official appeal to the Canadian government to have Ovechkin banned from the country. In particular, the UCC has asked the federal government to deny Ovechkin entry into Canada prior to the Capitals' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto next month.

Why the failed to mention Russian teammates like Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitri Orlov is anyone's guess, but to me it's clear that they're targeting Ovechkin here as he's the classic big fish. Personally, I don't have an informed enough opinion to offer much value to this conversation, but I'm philosophically opposed to banning a law-abiding citizen from cross-border movement simply because of their political beliefs. There are some real scum bags out there who I have no time for personally, but I will defend their rights until the day I die. To me, you can disagree with Ovechkin and his political beliefs, but until he commits a crime or until he poses a risk to the public there should be no reason to ban him from legally crossing an international border. That's just common sense... but then again common sense seems to be in short order these days.