Russian hockey player Alexander Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s regular-season goal record on Sunday, drawing media perspectives on Ovechkin’s political views.

Dark Times: Mark MacKinnon of The Globe and Mail (Center bias) argued the course history has taken to the current “dark geopolitical era” has “tainted” the legacies of both Ovechkin and Gretzky. MacKinnon cited Ovechkin’s Russian patriotism and support for President Vladimir Putin and Gretzky’s friendship with President Donald Trump as driving factors of this.

Different Times: Colin Horgan of The Guardian (Left) highlighted Ovechkin’s “astonishing playing career” but said it will “always be accompanied by an asterisk” because of “his unsavory, full-throated support for Vladimir Putin.” Horgan also noted Gretzky’s recent reputational slide with Canadians and said two decades ago, “athletes could more easily separate their sport persona with the world beyond the game,” but that “the political and cultural environment has changed significantly.”

Fans Don’t Care: A report from Ethan Sears of The New York Post (Lean Right) included an analysis of the National Hockey League and Ovechkin’s politics at the end. Sears wrote, “With the league throwing its resources into celebrating Ovechkin, it seems clear that the superstar’s popularity has not been dented by his support of Russian president Vladimir Putin.” He described Putin as a “dictator” that Ovechkin publicly supports, but despite it, Ovechkin received a “loud celebration” on Sunday and “everyone got what they came to see.”

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