Former NHLer Sends Emotional Letter to Vladimir Putin
We live in an age of polarization, and while Russian hockey players play in North America, and Americans play in Russia, there is still a disconnect.
For Manitoba-born Brendan Leipsic, however, Russia has become home. He has now asked Vladimir Putin to make things official.
Troubling NHL Career
Leipsic was essentially kicked out of the NHL after disgusting misogynistic comments surfaced from an Instagram group chat.
He was a truly awful person, and a locker room cancer. He insulted teammates and their wives, and doesn't deserve to play hockey in North America, or anywhere quite frankly.
He has found a niche in Russia, however.
Leipsic Requests Russian Citizenship
After five seasons in the NHL, Brendan Leipsic signed with CSKA of the KHL. After two years in Magnitogorsk, he has now joined SKA St. Petersburg, where he will play alongside phenom Matvei Michkov.
He has clearly enjoyed his time in Russia, even as tensions have heated up. Roman Rotenberg, the Deputy Chair of the KHL has revealed that Leipsic has requested Russian citizenship.
"It's no secret that in North America he faced bias and injustice, but in Russia he's felt exceptional support from fans, coaches and partners all these years. His favorite player is Alexander Ovechkin, and in Canada he grew up watching our great hockey players like Pavel Bure play. Perhaps Brendan himself will someday play in a Russian national team uniform."
While he is no more than a replacement level player in the NHL, he has flourished in Russia, where his character issues appear to matter less. It's good that he is happy there, and the NHL certainly doesn't want him back.
As Read on Blade of Steel - Former NHLer Leipsic Pens Letter to Putin with Special Request
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 11 | 142 ANSWERS Former NHLer Sends Emotional Letter to Vladimir Putin Do you think Brendan Leipsic should have been banned from the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 78 | 54.9 % |
| No | 64 | 45.1 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 2, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Brett Howden | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jalen Chatfield | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | - | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mitch Marner | - | 1 | 1 | |
| K'Andre Miller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Colton Sissons | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Smith | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | - | - | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Jackson Blake | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||