Players’ push prompts a two-day lull
As professional athletes continue to protest racial injustice after the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the NHL has granted the players’ request to postpone four playoff games on Thursday and Friday, the league and NHL Players’ Association said in a statement Thursday.
“After much discussion, NHL players believe that the best course of action would be to take a step back and not play tonight’s and tomorrow’s games as scheduled,” the statement reads. “The NHL supports the players’ decision and will reschedule those four games beginning Saturday and adjust the remainder of the Second Round schedule accordingly.
“Black and Brown communities continue to face real, painful experiences. The NHL and NHLPA recognize that much work remains to be done before we can play an appropriate role in a discussion centered on diversity, inclusion and social justice.”
The move came after several players made public calls for the league to suspend play.
Thursday afternoon, dozens of NHL players gathered at the league’s hub in Edmonton to discuss the decision.
“I think if you look around this room, there’s a lot of white athletes in here. I think that’s a statement that’s being made right now,” Golden Knights winger Ryan Reaves said. “I go to war with these guys and I hate their guts on the ice, but I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. The statement that they’ve made today is something that’s gonna last. These two days isn’t going to fix anything, but the conversation and the statement that’s been made is very powerful, especially coming from this league.”
Thursday’s postponed games were between the Flyers at the Islanders in Toronto and the Golden Knights at the Canucks in Edmonton, Alberta. Both series are tied 1-1.
Friday’s games were between the Lightning and the Bruins and the Avalanche and Stars. Those series are both at 2-1, with Tampa Bay and Dallas holding leads.
The NHL and players association also said in the statement that they “pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society” and that both groups are “committed to working to foster more inclusive and welcoming environments” within the league.
The decision to postpone comes after public calls from the Hockey Diversity Alliance to suspend play. Sharks left winger Evander Kane, representing the player-formed group, tweeted a statement Thursday afternoon.
“We the @TheOfficialHDA have formally requested the @NHL to suspend all playoff games today,” Kane wrote on his verified Twitter account. “We strongly feel this sends a clear message that human rights take priority over sports.”
A longer statement released Thursday afternoon by Kane said, in part, that the Blake shooting was “yet another example of police brutality against Black Americans that continues to go unabated and unaddressed in the communities where NHL teams play.”
On Wednesday, several teams across the NBA, MLB, WNBA and MLS opted not to play their scheduled games. The NHL, however, played all three of its scheduled playoff games and has faced criticism for that decision.
“Actually it’s incredibly insulting as a black man in hockey the lack of action and acknowledgment from the @nhl, just straight up insulting.” Sharks’ Evander Kane tweet