No disrespect, but some of you need a dose of reality. This might seem a little political, but it's also related to hockey; but here's the deal with Panarin....
People in Russia rip on Putin all the time. It's no big deal. However the format Panarin chose was quite novel. Athletes have abstained from politics unless it's pro-Putin rhetoric because sports and 'patriotism' still kinda go hand-in-hand. Athletics is funded by the government and, to a large degree, Putin has hijacked patriotism; hence the difference in reactions to Ovechkin's 'Team Putin' and what Panarin said. As such, many Russian hockey insiders, coaches and ex-players said they respect Panarin's opinion, but it wasn't the best forum to express it. In a weird way I suppose the equivalent in the USA are those NFLers who took a knee during the anthem.
Anyhow, at the end of the day (as anybody with knowledge predicted), Panarin is fine and there's no chance of him being left off the national team. He dissed Putin, so what. He isn't some opposition member getting too close for comfort exposing Putin's inner workings.
