Reports began to circulate Monday morning that teams are stepping up their security due to potential threats associated with Russian players and the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In addition, player agent Dan Milstein, who represents quite a few of the league’s Russian players, is reporting that his clients have received “real threats.”
On Monday morning TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger reported a conversation he had with NHL agent Milstein regarding “real threats” his players have received.
I just spoke with @HockeyAgent1. He has raised concerns of “real threats” to his Russian based clients both in-person and on Social media to the NHLPA and NHL clubs with Russian born players. Milstein is asking for additional security for his players in North America.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 28, 2022
Milstein has several high profile Russian clients including Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov, New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzBqhD6AJ1w/?utm_medium=copy_link
The 4th Period’s David Pagnotta also confirmed the threats via his Twitter account on Monday.
Some teams are upping their security because of this. Heard last night some Russian players have received serious death threats via DMs. https://t.co/McLMTgVQOl
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) February 28, 2022
No specific players or Washington Capitals players have been directly linked to the reported threats.
By Jon Sorensen
Come on, people!
Maybe what should really happen being most of these Russian players paychecks are being sent to Russian banks & than being sent to god knows who for “payments” as i’am sure Russian players probably pay members of Mob for protection purposes! Maybe NHL should stand up & say until all players of Russian birth can give North America bank account to forward thier saleries to,we will suspend those not compiling immediately.
Tough times call for tough measures!
You may be stretching there, juuuuuussst a bit.
China used to get a cut of Yao Mings salary sonics not out of the question that Putin and his cronies do the same thing to the Russian players as well
People need to leave the hockey players alone. What’s going on isn’t their fault. Just let them alone and let them play hockey
Yes, this!
I agree! Leave them alone.
With Putin being Russia’s number #1 jock sniffer when it comes to hockey(look @ how many former & current NHL’ers & National team members participate in exhibition games he(Putin) has played in),I don’t feel giving a free pass is on the table!
It was widely know when Pavel Bure was traded to Rangers years ago,he wasn’t thrilled due to Russian mob ties in New York area. The Rangers had to step team security as result so he’d feel more comfortably playing thier.
Is it to much to ask players playing in North America to have bank accounts here for the teams to deposit paychecks to lessen risk of tampering?
No I don’t believe so! If I were to work anywhere else in the world they would ask for “home” bank account.
To be honest the players can get scammed by banks, agents, thugs or whom ever. Its their money and really not interested in what they do with it or how much they lose to tampering. If they are not smart enough to protect their money that is their problem. Atheletes in all sports are already so pampered and spoiled. They need to learn to take cae of themselves and their things.
buddy you’re crazy ahaha the players don’t get their money sent back home, they’re paid in US funds to US bank accounts. In fact, some of the ones who played in the Canadian Hockey League prior to moving to either AHL Hershey to to the NHL had Canadian bank accounts. It’s all dependant on where you play and where you are but as a friend of a few foreign players I know that they do not get their money sent back home. No matter Swedish, Slovakian, Russian, Finnish they are paid in US funds and not the krona, ruble or euro. Under NHL contract and professional player contracts, players are paid by their member clubs in the funds pertaining to that club aka the Toronto Maple Leafs pay in Canadian – the part where it gets tricky for North American players are with the players that play in Canada but who are American… the question remains are they being shorted due to the dollars not being at par but that it the only complication. For many currencies such as the Russian ruble and Swedish krona the players may consider themselves to be “making money” from being paid in US funds. I just thought I would give you some insight on how the contracts and industry works and not the Russian mob stuff you thought.
Spasibo. Tack. Kiitos. Dakujem. Thank you.
And those with family and obligations back in their home country will transfer funds to them. Except now some countries (UK I know) are making those transfers more difficult. Added complication for them to have to worry about right now.
This is going too far. I’m not this anti-Russian sentiment if it’s not directed to where it needs to be: the Kremlin!!! You know, none of these players, especially Ovi, are sitting in on foreign policy decisions and military strategy meetings. For crying out loud….
Where does common sense come into play? In the next international dispute, are we going to start deporting people of Chinese ancestry because of China? Muslims because of Iran? Latinos because of Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivian Marxists?
Maybe we can separate the people from the government? Even Biden said, we don’t have a beef with the Russian people, it’s your government we have issue with. it’s bad enough this country rounded up Japanese Americans in WWII.
I’m not crazy about Ovi’s association with Putin but until we know more about him being a right wing extremist and blind loyalist, I’m not going to over react to a press conference. Yeah, not the best answers from the guy, but I’ll wait and see before getting out the pitchforks and torches
Wonder if this is related to Orlov’s absence from morning skate?
Twitter needs to be banned.
Oh yeah. Ukraine has a far right militia. You will be shocked how far right.
Which country doesn’t…
Ummm, have you overlooked the far right militia groups here in the US? Trying to kidnap a governor? Neo-Nazi sympathizers and supremacists who recently pled guilty to terrorist plot to attack power grids?