By Doud

So this is gonna come up a lot leading up to and likely during the Olympics considering they’re being held in a backward ass country that literally has laws in place against being gay. Being that the NHL has been a pioneer in the field of equality on the topic working with the ‘You Can Play’ initiative to promote tolerance of gay athletes everywhere, and endorsed by such stars as Henrik Lundqvist, Stars of the game have already begun to field questions pertaining to their stance on the topic.

Ilya Kovalchuk said this yesterday: “I agree, of course…I’m Russian and we all have to respect that. It’s personal and, like I said, it’s a free world, but that’s our line. That’s our country, so everybody has to respect that.”

So yea it’s a free world where he’s allowed to think what he wants. It’s also a free world (apparently not in Russia however) where people can love how they want. Good call bro. Keep doin you, Russia. Although its entirely possible ‘chuk is just as terrified of the wrath of Putin as probably everyone in Siberia should be, dude is all man.