Sharks GM Mike Grier on Prague games: “Either we all go or no one goes.”

[I Hate Philadelphia]

Great to see this. Punishing people solely based on where they were born is idiotic.

 

[MXD]

The stance of not allowing athletes of a certain nationality to play is just so offside.

I think the same thing was done at Wimbledon this year.

Governments flexing their muscle on people that have nothing to do with the political climate other than having a certain nationality.

Such useless politicking.

It's not only athletes; it's all Russian Nationals who aren't otherwise residents, on the basis of being a safety risk.

 

[super6646]

It's not only athletes; it's all Russian Nationals who aren't otherwise residents, on the basis of being a safety risk.

I’d wager average Russian civilians probably don’t pose much of a security risk…

The stance of not allowing athletes of a certain nationality to play is just so offside.

I think the same thing was done at Wimbledon this year.

Governments flexing their muscle on people that have nothing to do with the political climate other than having a certain nationality.

Such useless politicking.

Agreed. And to be fair given the responses in this thread, it’s not an unpopular sentiment either.

 

[Czechboy]

I agree with both of them.

Czechs arent allowing Russians visa due to war.

Czechs were taken over by Russians in 1968 by tanks in a hostile military takeover. Russians did not leave for a couple of decades.

Grier makes a good point too.

My vote is to cancel the games.

Curious what the Finn's do.
Curious what the Preds say.
Curious what Bettman and Daly say too.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The nauseating thing here is that people care more about the big meanies in NATO saying Russians can't enter their country than Russia who is actively invading a sovereign nation.

Again, Czechia literally experienced the monstrosities that Russia is capable of doing. They're doing that to an ally of theirs. What obligation does Czechia have for allowing nationals of an enemy state work in Czechia? That's what Russia is at this point, an enemy state.

Whine about it being "bigotry" all you want. At this point, Russia and the west are effectively at war. The West has no reason to offer job opportunities to native Russians as they're effectively at war with them.

 

[super6646]

The next time someone tries to conquer their neighbour we will see what happens.

Again, Russian international Al aggression has gone unpunished before. It’s nothing specific to Russia.

The last time this was tried in Europe was the Sudetenland and we all know how that turned out.

There’s a difference in deterring state aggression and punishing civilians.

The nauseating thing here is that people care more about the big meanies in NATO saying Russians can't enter their country than Russia who is actively invading a sovereign nation.

Again, Czechia literally experienced the monstrosities that Russia is capable of doing. They're doing that to an ally of theirs. What obligation does Czechia have for allowing nationals of an enemy state work in Czechia? That's what Russia is at this point, an enemy state.

Whine about it being "bigotry" all you want. At this point, Russia and the west are effectively at war. The West has no reason to offer job opportunities to native Russians as they're effectively at war with them.

Said no one in this thread… I think we all agree Russia’s invasion is horrible.

And no, the west is not at war with Russia. If we go to war with Russia, we’re all dead.

 

[MXD]

I’d wager average Russian civilians probably don’t pose much of a security risk…

The average civilian of every damn country on the planet doesn't pose much of a security risk.

 

[93LEAFS]

Someone doesn’t understand how authoritarian regime work. Lot of Russians sure don’t want to be there now that there’s conscription being invoked…


But how exactly is excluding Russian players who have nothing to do with Russian foreign policy conductive to solving anything? It just comes off blatantly discriminatory that does not produce good for anyone, just like Canadian and American internment of Japanese people (and no, I’m not saying they are comparable events, just that neither of them were rational).

Countries are free to refuse visas or entry to anyone they choose. Otherwise, borders are meaningless. A country that suffered through Russia/Soviet imposed dominance excluding Russian nationals from entering their country while Russia is trying to exert its force on a sovereign nation seems fine to me.

 

[NyQuil]

There’s a difference in deterring state aggression and punishing civilians.

Czechia has decided that the message sent must be clear and uncompromising.

Again, they’re in a much different situation than we are here in North America, particularly given their historical relationship with the Soviet Union.

Russia is a pariah state and there is collateral damage to that.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Not a very big deal... Deal with it and understand the times.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Good for Grier. A hockey team and organization should have each other's backs. Don't have a problem with Czechia's stance either. They have a border to protect, don't think for a second Putin would be above inserting bad actors into neighboring countries.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Great leadership. Need more like him in the sport.

 

[super6646]

Countries are free to refuse visas or entry to anyone they choose. Otherwise, borders are meaningless. A country that suffered through Russia/Soviet imposed dominance excluding Russian nationals from entering their country while Russia is trying to exert its force on a sovereign nation seems fine to me.

And I’ve never once stated otherwise.

Czechia has decided that the message sent must be clear and uncompromising.

Again, they’re in a much different situation than we are here in North America, particularly given their historical relationship with the Soviet Union.

Russia is a pariah state and there is collateral damage to that.

The comparison to the Sudetenland doesn’t make a lot of sense here though. Even if czechia was allowing Russian civilians into their country, that doesn’t correspond with any sort of appeasement when sanctions and military equipment are being shipped to Ukraine. The message has been made clear to the Russian citizenry… I doubt the higher echelons of the kremlin care when they are actively trying to conscript people

 

[Jumptheshark]

Are the Preds going to release a similar statement? Not sure how many of theirs are affected by this either.

They are injured

 

[Rubi]

It is when you keep using “whatabout” examples when past aggression by Russia has not warranted this kind of response.

Ukraine is different. It’s clear when you see the lengths that Western states have gone to, despite the cost to their own economies and the risks to their own electoral fortunes.

If the US were to decide to “liberate Mexican nationals from their Nazi government” by sending the US army and adding their territory to the US I would hope the reaction would be equally swift and uncompromising.

Not really a good example. Read the history of Texas and California.

 

[NyQuil]

Not really a good example. Read the history of Texas and California.

Every country has been an aggressor at some point historically.

Unless you have a working time machine, we can’t change the past but we can collectively dictate how we deal with land grabs going forward.

Slavery happened in the past so I guess we shouldn’t do anything about it?

Not sure how going back a century or more is relevant. We’re supposed to learn from our mistakes - not allow them to continue.

Read the history of Mexico. It’s not like they were always Spanish speaking.

 

[D Wakaluk]

Let them play if they make a statement how they do not support the war.

If not, let them join Team Ovechkin and ship their asses to the frontlines to fight the evil nazis. Has the great eight enlisted yet?

 

[FissionFire]

For anyone interested, the potential affected players from each team would be:

Alexander Barabanov (San Jose)
Nikolai Knyzhok (San Jose)
Evgeni Svechnikov (San Jose)

Yakov Trenin (Nashville)

 

[super6646]

No, the West acted swiftly and decisively to ensure that it wasn’t another Sudetenland.

The policy of appeasement didn’t work back then, and it won’t work now.

The line has been drawn and in some places it’s much more ardent than others.

Living in relative security here in Canada, I can hardly criticize the Czechs for their policies given their historical experience.

I’m certainly not going to go out of my way to criticize Zaitsev for his nationality, but as I said in my original post, I support what Grier is doing also. He has different motivations.

My point is punishing Russian civilians is not going to be a deterrent for the Russian gov.

I agree, the line has to be drawn (should’ve been with crimea), I just don’t agree with all the methods.

You’re right, as a westerner I cannot understand the perspective of the Czech’s. But as someone of Hungarian descent, I can understand the idea of Russian aggression and am well aware of it.

 

[Paper]

USA USA USA

 

[Empoleon8771]

Blamimg the West or NATO for "provoking" the invasion of Ukraine is legitimately one of the dumbest talking points I've ever heard. Like you have to be slurping up Russian propaganda to even remotely believe that nonsense.

 

[Drake1588]

Support the Czech decision to go for consistency with their policy, and the Sharks for looking for unity as well.

I wonder if Grier (who definitely does not make the decision) cleared his statements with 1) ownership and/or 2) the league first?

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Let them play if they make a statement how they do not support the war.

If not, let them join Team Ovechkin and ship their asses to the frontlines to fight the evil nazis. Has the great eight enlisted yet?

Ovechkin is exempt. He is governor of some village in Russia.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

NHL and broader hockey community should be cutting ties with countries and any entities or organizations that try to mix politics with hockey.

Czech government taking this step should have the NHL deciding they will not be partnening with the country anymore to bring NHL games to Czech Republic.

Keep politics out of hockey. We all have diverse opinions. That includes on the Ukraine-Russia war. There is no one viewpoint you must have.

NHL will lose fans the more they lean into politics and back political statements.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The Venn Diagram of people who complain about "politics in sports" and people who complain about people not standing for the national anthem is a circle.