An exchange between Canadian captain Barrett Hayton and multiple Russian players made waves across the internet in the aftermath of Canada’s 6-0 loss on Saturday, when Hayton kept his helmet on throughout the Russian national anthem.
Asked about the controversy after the game, Hayton was initially unsure about what the Russian players were mad about; he later issued a statement apologizing for his actions alongside Hockey Canada.
The issue was brought up when Hayton spoke with reporters following Sunday’s practice, and he apologized again while offering insight into the situation from his perspective.
The backlash against the perceived disrespect of Hayton’s actions was swift and severe — even David Pastrnak chimed in online! — but a sincere apology can go a long way towards owning up to it.
Regardless, Hayton and Team Canada have much to figure out for their next game against Germany on Monday. Alexis Lafrenière has already been ruled out for the game following a scary injury — however, returns from the MRI scan has led to some optimism that he could return for these World Juniors.
In the aftermath of the loss to Russia, Canada’s players and coaches held a post-game meeting to get on the same page, with the team’s compete level being a primary topic of discussion.
