In the wake of the recent shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wis., issues of police brutality and racial inequality have overshadowed sports.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Vancouver Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher was asked if he had seen the graphic video and what his reaction was to the incident.
"Personally I haven't seen the video, I've heard all about the context and the incident," he said. "It's heart-wrenching, it's disgusting. Just like anything in life as a team, we need to come together and we need change, and this is direct evidence of that. Thoughts and prayers are obviously with his family and that community."
Blake, a 29-year-old unarmed Black man, was shot in the back seven times by officers on Sunday.
The NBA's Milwaukee Bucks chose to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, leading to all three of the NBA's scheduled games to be postponed. The MLB's Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds followed by choosing to not play their game on Wednesday night.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Sportsnet's Chris Johnston that he didn't "expect the League to initiate a game stoppage," though the players were "free to express themselves in any manner they feel is appropriate."
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone was also asked for his reaction to the video.
"I saw the video yesterday. It's heartbreaking," Stone said. "I've played with guys from tons of different races and they're just teammates for me. I don't look at them in any other way."
As players in all the major sports protest in different ways, the NHL has seen a few players kneel during the national anthem, including when the Dallas Stars' Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson joined Vegas' Ryan Reaves and Robin Lehner to protest prior to a round-robin game. The Minnesota Wild's Matt Dumba delivered an impassioned speech condemning racism prior to an Edmonton Oilers-Chicago Blackhawks game and was the first NHL player to kneel for a national anthem. Dumba continued to protest through Minnesota's time in the bubble by raising his fist for both the Canadian and American national anthems.
"The feeling was crazy, never felt anything like that," Dumba said about his speech. "(Galchenyuk) said right before it that if you have the nerves to handle this, nothing can stop you tomorrow or on this playoff run.
"I just wanted to attack it and stepping out, I felt like a fighter seeing everyone in a circle there but all the strength it took to do it came from all the people who supported me along the way."
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