According to Elliotte Friedman, “Players being told to prepare for cancellations tonight.”
This comes after the NBA players walked out of their games on Wednesday in protest over social injustice issues, the Black Lives Matter movement and in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake.
On Thursday, the NHL also received a letter a formal request from the Hockey Diversity Alliance to suspend today’s playoff games.
The NBA has since voted to return to playoff action as early as this Saturday but several MLB games were also boycotted, the WNBA took a pause in protest and there was plenty of backlash from the NHL community that the league didn’t do much other than to say players could express themselves in whatever way they felt appropriate and that there would be a “moment of reflection” before Wednesday evening’s games.
One day after the protests began in other sports, NHL players started seeing what they could do. TSN’s Frank Seravalli said players in at least one NHL locker room voted not to play their Thursday night scheduled game.
There Needs to Be Actual Change To Make a Difference
Black NHL players and those who supported the NBA players decision to boycott were front-and-center in the news on Wednesday, specifically Evander Kane who said more needed to be done about the issues and that the NHL needed to more closely look at their stance on the matter.
Kane, a co-head of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, feels a suspension would send “a clear message that human rights take priority over sports.”
Matt Dumba also expressed his disappointment that the NHL might have missed an opportunity to send a clear message on Wednesday. Per reports, more than 100 players in the bubble had a call with Kane and Dumba Thursday afternoon and the Hockey Diversity Alliance convinced players to take a step back.
But, will this be enough?
NBC Sports analyst Anson Carter said that it was time the players did more than just talk or protest a game. If they were to leave for one game but return, Carter asked what message is this really sending? The changes needs to come in the form of a new system, new overall awareness, a new mentality towards these types of issues and creating pathways for actual change.
The key to remember here is that the postponements are not coming from the leagues themselves. The players are reason these games aren’t taking place and that’s where it all starts. If the players refuse the show, the leagues must decide how to react.
So, while many are saying these postponements are coming a day later that it should have come. The players did make their voices heard. What comes after this is still very much unclear.
Next: NHL Responds to NBA Postponing Games Due to Social Injustice Issues
