Around the NHL
The NHL has postponed its games from last night and today. Today’s Quick Hits has some links to some reactions from yesterday’s (and Wednesday’s news). We will resume our normal site coverage when the games resume.
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Our response to the NHL’s response to the radical injustice and violence. pic.twitter.com/c9vfcwOJ7t
— Hockey Diversity Alliance (@TheOfficialHDA) August 27, 2020
Words from a Black Blogger: 0 steps forward and 100 steps back for the NHL – Pension Plan Puppets
That right there is one of countless examples of why there are protests. This is why professional sports leagues are using their platforms to send the message and fight against what is happening in society.
The NBA and WNBA have been at the forefront of these movements. They’ve been wearing shirts, using their media availability to spread important messages, kneeling during the anthem, walking off the court during the anthem, you name it, they’ve done it. But Wednesday saw something a lot more significant happen.
This was written in response to other leagues canceling on Wednesday and the NHL playing its evening games.
Racism and the slow uptake of the NHL – Raw Charge
Let’s face a few things: the NHL has thus far been a nearly all-white league, and my expectations for the league’s response to matters of race have always been correspondingly low. Nearly every head coach is white (with the exception of Craig Berube and Ted Nolan, of First Nations descent). Nearly every GM is white (with the exception of Bill Guerin, who is part Nicaraguan). The league commissioner is white. The threshold for playing requires so much money and access to rare commodities that the non-white players who make it to the NHL are limited to a handful.
This must be clear! This is not a league mandated action this has been solely driven by its PLAYERS and damn I’m proud to stand with them! ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/hga4m6qWE6
— Matt Dumba (@matt_dumba) August 27, 2020
NHL players speak on decision to postpone playoff games
Reaves said he went to bed Wednesday night unsure whether to play Thursday night. He later woke up to a text message from Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk saying he wanted to talk.
He said he also received messages from members of the Canucks (Vegas’ Second Round opponent) wanting to do the same.
For me, the most impactful image from yesterday was the Western Conference players filling the space behind the people chosen to represent each team. You can see a little of this in the image for the article. It can’t just be players of color who speak up.
