Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has defended his decision to visit Russia last month, saying he has “no regrets” despite backlash over the trip that included a meeting with an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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Hughes, along with Canadiens amateur scouting director Nick Bobrov and team adviser Vincent Lecavalier, met with Roman Rotenberg, the head coach of SKA Saint Petersburg.
The visit was a scouting trip to see Ivan Demidov, a highly touted 19-year-old winger drafted fifth overall by the Canadiens this year who plays for the Kontinental Hockey League team. However, Rotenberg’s connections to the Kremlin have drawn sharp criticism.
He is the son of Boris Rotenberg, who is understood to be a close friend of Putin. The Canadian government sanctioned Roman after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. He has also been sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom.
Hughes and his colleagues also ignored a directive of the Canadian government, which advises people to avoid all travel to Russia amid the ongoing war.
A photo of Hughes, Bobrov, and Lecavalier with Rotenberg circulated on social media after the meeting. In a Telegram post, Rotenberg framed the meeting as support for Russia’s return to international hockey.
“The most important thing is that we have a common view on the importance of our country’s return to the international arena, because hockey is unthinkable without Russia-Canada matches,” he wrote.
Asked at a press conference on Wednesday why the trip was essential, Hughes said he has “no regrets” and dismissed the criticism.
“I believe we’ve been criticized more on the political side of things. For us, it’s about work.”
He added that other teams have also sent representatives to Russia.
However, the Ukrainian Embassy in Canada labelled the visit as “appalling” in a statement to The Gazette.
“When the whole democratic world stands united against Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine … it is appalling to see visits and interactions with sanctioned Russian individuals, which is not only illegal but immoral.”
The statement added: “In Russia, sport is not outside of politics, but is one of the industries used to support the war. We are deeply disappointed that citizens of Canada — a country that truly cherishes human rights and a rules-based order — are neglecting these core values.”
The third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is approaching. According to the United Nations, more than 12,300 civilians have been killed since the conflict began, and over six million Ukrainians have fled the country.