The NHL was the only major North American sports league that did not hold scheduled games Wednesday night as a result of ongoing protests over the shooting of Jacob Blake police.
Blake, a black man, was shot in the back seven times Sunday by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Video of the incident spread on social media, leading to a wave of protests across the country. While the NBA, WNBA, MLS and MLB postponed some or all of the games, the NHL voted Wednesday with all three of their scheduled playoff games.
The league held a very brief moment of silence prior to the Bruins-Lightning game in Toronto, urging fans to “stand up for social justice and the attempt to end racism.”
The effort was not well received by Matt Wild defender Matt Dumba, who said the league’s response was “discouraging”.
“The NHL is always too late for the game, especially on these topics, so it’s a little sad and depressing for me and other members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, and I’m sure other guys are over the league,” he said. said Dumba while conducting an interview for Vancouver’s Sportsnet 650 on Wednesday.
“But when no one gets up and does something, it’s the same thing – it’s just that silence that you’re just looking outside to be leaders and call for real change when you have such an opportunity to do so.”
Dumba is a founding member of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, a player-based organization founded this June that aims to “eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey.” The veteran defender has been a leading voice on race issues and was the first NHL player to kneel during the national anthem, but says the league’s response to racial injustice should not just fall on players of color.
“I hope guys find it in them to stand up. You can’t come to the minority players every time there is a situation like this,” Dumba said. The white players in our league need answers for what they see in society now, and where they stand. “
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is also a member of the HDA, also expressed frustration over the lack of initiative shown by the NHL.
“I’m going to be honest. I have not really heard much about the attempted murder of Jacob Blake. It’s unfortunate. We’re obviously talking about another black man who is unarmed shot in the back for his children,” he said. said Kane on Sportsnet. “But again, we’ve had these conversations earlier with the George Floyd killing of continuing the conversation, promoting the conversation, anyone who wants to be better and make sure we talk more often and that we can move forward better. Here’s another example, unfortunately, but it is also another example of the lack of concern regarding our league and our players and our media who handle our game.
JT Brown, a teammate of Dumba and another of hockey’s leading voices on racism, apparently also criticized the lack of response from the league. with a tweet on Wednesday, said it was “listening and learning about as good as my 1-year-old.”
