NHL and NBA Take Divergent Approaches To Wednesday’s Playoff Games In Response To Jacob Blake Shooting In Wisconsin
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
If there was a night that illustrated the difference between the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association on racial justice issues it was Wednesday evening.
NBA and WNBA players — including players from the Las Vegas Aces — protested against the police shooting of a Black Wisconsin man as NBA and WNBA games not played Wednesday, while three NHL postseason games in coronavirus bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto went on as planned the same night. A moment of reflection was held to “end racism” before the NHL games.
San Jose Sharks player Evander Kane expressed his displeasure about the NHL’s action — or non-action in response to the Jacob Blake shooting. Blake was shot multiple times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin Sunday and left paralyzed.
Minnesota Wild player Matt Dumba, a Black player, also spoke out Wednesday. “NHL is always last to the party on these topics,” Dumba said on radio station Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver. “It’s kind of sad and disheartening for me and for members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance . . . ”
Former NHL player and current analyst Kelly Hrudey also said on CBC the NHL should have postponed its games in light of the shooting in Wisconsin.
NBA teams did not play in scheduled playoff games that were officially postponed and there was talk of even halting the season, while the NHL Lightning-Bruins, Flyers-Islanders and Stars-Avalanche games went on as scheduled. The WNBA teams scheduled to play also did not play their games Wednesday. It began with the Milwaukee Bucks players deciding to not play its game with the Orlando Magic.
There are about 45 Black players in the National Hockey League, while the majority of National Basketball Association players are Black. The WNBA Aces also protested and posted a Tweet saying, “We stand united.”
There are three NBA playoff games scheduled for Thursday, while there are two NHL playoff games set for the same day, including the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Vancouver Canucks.
One of those Black NHL players is Ryan Reaves of the Golden Knights. Reaves and VGK teammate Robin Lehner took a knee during the playing of the national anthem before a VGK vs Dallas Stars game at the start of the round-robin part of the NHL postseason on August 3. They said they were bringing attention to racial injustice in the U.S. and were not trying to disrespect the flag or military.
Here were Reaves’ words that night.
Three of 15 MLB games — Reds-Brewers, Dodgers-Giants and Mariners-Padres — were postponed Wednesday because of the shooting, while five of six Major League Soccer games were postponed.
