In August 2024, the Biden administration considered a strategy to expel Russian hockey players from the U.S. to pressure Russia for the release of journalist Evan Gershkovic and former marine Paul Whelan. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan explored leveraging Russian President Vladimir Putin's affinity for hockey by removing notable players, including Alexander Ovechkin. Ultimately, the administration opted for a prisoner exchange that included a Russian hitman, marking the largest such swap since the Cold War and raising implications for Ovechkin's NHL career amid political controversies.
The administration needed to explore alternative trades that wouldn't include the murderer or other ways to pressure the Kremlin.
Sullivan had considered punishing Putin by expelling Russian hockey players in America, including Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL star chasing Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record.
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