Canadiens GM Hughes doesn't regret visiting prospect in Russia despite backlash

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes says he doesn't regret visiting a prospect in Russia, despite facing widespread backlash amid the country's ongoing war in Ukraine.

"No regret," Hughes said in French on Wednesday at the Canadiens' practice facility. "I think we were criticized mostly on the political side, for us this was about work."

Hughes, scout Nick Bobrov and special adviser Vincent Lecavalier raised eyebrows for flying overseas in December to watch fifth-overall draft pick Ivan Demidov play for SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.

Hall of Famer Dominik Hasek, a vocal critic of Russia's invasion, condemned the Canadiens for visiting. The Czech goaltender labelled it "sad for an organization with such a hockey history" after a photo of Montreal's brass posing with SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg surfaced on social media.

"Do you realize that the KHL is a huge supporter of the Russian leadership and a huge advertisement for Russian crimes, which have more than a million victims in 3 years of war? And that SKA coach Rotenberg is a supporter of the biggest criminal of our time, Putin," Hasek posted to X on Dec. 20.

"Do you realize that by doing this you are advertising the Russian imperialist war and crimes and that you will also bear a share of responsibility for the lost and crippled human lives?"

How sad for an organization with such a hockey history <a href="https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CanadiensMTL</a> and for the country of Canada. Do you realize that the KHL is a huge supporter of the Russian leadership and a huge advertisement for Russian crimes, which have more than a million victims in 3 years of war? And… <a