NHL players on all eight playoff teams have decided not to play tonight or tomorrow, forcing the NHL to postpone each of the four scheduled games. The decision was made following yesterday’s boycott by several other professional sports. The league and NHLPA released a joint statement:
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.
We understand that the tragedies involving Jacob Blake, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others require us to recognize this moment. We pledge to work to use our sport to influence positive change in society.
The NHLPA and NHL are committed to working to foster more inclusive and welcoming environments within our arenas, offices and beyond.
According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, over 100 players had a call this afternoon to discuss the issues with Evander Kane and Matt Dumba, two members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, following the group’s request earlier today for the league to postpone games. Many of those involved made sure to point out on social media that this was a decision the players made, not the league. Larry Brooks of the New York Post has been told it was the Vancouver Canucks in particular who were the “driving force” among the players.
Each of the eight teams will have a game postponed and there will be no NHL hockey played tonight or tomorrow. Those games originally scheduled will now be played starting on Saturday and the remainder of the second round will be adjusted accordingly. No specifics have been released on the adjusted schedule.
Yesterday, the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA started a wave of boycotts by not appearing on the court for their playoff game against the Orlando Magic. The Milwaukee Brewers and several other MLB teams followed suit, along with teams from the WNBA and athletes from professional tennis. Several NFL football teams canceled practice today and more MLB teams refused to play.
The protests and postponements across the sporting world stem from a desire to raise awareness of social and racial injustices, enact change, and come in response to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year old Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The Hockey Diversity Alliance was formed this June and asked the NHL to sign the HDA Pledge which:
…includes commitments to funding grassroots programs for BIPOC youth, funding impactful social justice initiatives, anti-racism education, targets for hiring and promoting Black individuals and businesses, and rule changes to make the culture of the game more inclusive.
Rick Westhead of TSN tweets a list of requests included in the pledge, stretching from using empty NHL rinks as polling stations for the upcoming United States elections to specific goals for hiring practices among NHL organizations.