The NHL condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a Monday statement and announced that it would suspend all relationships with business partners in Russia.
In addition, the league said it would be "discontinuing any consideration of Russia as a location for any future competitions" and pausing its Russian language social and digital media sites.
The NHL expressed concern for the well-being of Russian players and their families.
"We also remain concerned about the well-being of the players from Russia, who play in the NHL on behalf of their NHL Clubs, and not on behalf of Russia," the statement read. "We understand they and their families are being placed in an extremely difficult position."
The decision affects future cooperation with the Russian-based internet provider Yandex, where the NHL had a partnership to air their games on demand since 2019, with a multi-year extension signed earlier this year, according to ESPN.
A business relationship with the Russian gambling company Liga Stavok will also be put on hold.
Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek, a Czech, recently lashed out against comments made by Washington Capitals forward and Moscow native Alexander Ovechkin for having a seemingly weak response to the Russian incursion into Ukraine, ESPN reported.
"He is my president [Putin] ... but I am not in politics," Ovechkin told reporters last week. "I am an athlete, and ... I hope everything is going to be done soon."
Hasek responded on Twitter, labeling Ovechkin an expletive and calling for the league to take extreme measures against Russian players.
"The NHL must immediately suspend contracts for all Russian players," Hasek wrote. "Every athlete represents not only himself and his club, but also his country and its values and actions. That is a fact. If the NHL does not do so, it has indirect co-responsibility for the dead in Ukraine."
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