As an African-Canadian player who makes a living in the U.S., Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds knows exactly what it's like to be unfairly discriminated against for the color of one's skin.
On Wednesday, Simmonds was asked to share his opinion regarding players taking a knee during national anthems to protest racial inequality: "Everybody is relating to politics," Simmonds said, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"But for the people who are doing the kneeling and protesting peacefully, I think it has nothing to do with how (other) people are taking it," he said. "Some people are saying it’s a disrespect to the flag, a disrespect to the Army. That’s not the thought process behind it; it’s just the vehicle that’s being used to create a conversation about social inequality."
What started out as just one football player staging a protest, has grown to encompass an entire movement throughout the sports world; a fact that Simmonds believes everyone should be aware of.
"In this day and age, obviously, you have to be cognizant of everything that’s going on," said Simmonds.
"You see the protests in the NFL, you see guys in baseball starting to kneel ... It’s a hard subject to talk about. Everybody’s on one side or the other. It’s a fine line."
Simmonds may only be a hockey player, but he realizes the issues being addressed by athletes peacefully protesting are about much more than just race.
"I don’t think it’s black and white; at this point, it’s about what’s wrong and what’s right. It’s not just a black and white thing. It’s the LGBT community, it different ethnicity - black, brown, Asian, all that. It shouldn’t just be black and white."
As a resident of Washington, D.C., it was only a matter of time before Barry Trotz was asked about the recent protests that have engulfed the sports world.
After Wednesday's morning skate, the Washington Capitals head coach indicated his team doesn't have a plan for addressing the protests, but said he'll offer his support if his players choose to demonstrate.
"That's the great thing about our country," Trotz said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "We get to speak our piece, if you will, without sometimes ramifications. In other countries, there's dire consequences if you speak up. That's the gift of living in the United States and people can express it, and I'll support anybody for that. But I do think that, me personally, we're honoring the flag. We're maybe not honoring some of the things that are going on in our country."
Washington has two games left on its exhibition schedule before beginning the regular season Oct. 5.
If it were up to Ryan Reaves, he'd be inclined to forgo a trip to the White House if invited.
It's a moot point this fall, as the Pittsburgh Penguins forward won't be attending with teammates on Oct. 10 because he was a member of the St. Louis Blues last season, but Reaves says he likely wouldn't go if he was invited.
“I don’t know. I just wouldn’t," he said. "I don’t agree with things. I don’t agree with certain things that (President Donald Trump) stands for or (things) he says.”
The winger said he understands it's a collective decision, but made it clear he supports the First Amendment.
“I think it’s important to make a decision as a team,” he said. “Whatever we decide, we decide. The whole country is built on freedom of speech. Everybody should have that freedom. That’s where I stand on it.”
Reaves wasn't sure how - or whether - he would protest.
“Obviously, a lot of people think there’s a need for change and there’s a need to show that there’s a need for change,” he said. “There’s definitely different ways of doing that. I don’t know what the best way is. I haven’t really gotten that far.”
The president ignited widespread displays of unity in the NFL last weekend after he said the league should "get that son of a bitch off the field," in reference to players protesting police brutality and racial injustice by kneeling or sitting during the national anthem.
The defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins said in a statement Sunday that they plan to visit the White House out of "respect (for) the institution of the Office of the President," claiming criticism of Trump's agenda can be "expressed in other ways," and insisting they respect the rights of others to express themselves as they see fit.
On Wednesday, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan stood up for his captain and defended his team's decision to still make the trip to meet President Donald Trump.
"The fact that people seem to think Sid needs to bear this burden of responsibility is unfair," Sullivan told reporters, according to Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"The guy does nothing but come to the rink, help the Penguins win championships, and be a good person every day. That's how we see it."
While Crosby has taken plenty of heat in the media for siding with his team's unpopular stance on White House visits, Sullivan feels the club hasn't taken any stance at all.
"I think that there appears to be a perception out there that because our organization has made a decision to accept the invitation to the White House that we have taken a stance on the issue when the reality is it's just the opposite. We haven't taken any stance," Sullivan said.
" ... There appears to be a perception we have. It's wrong."
The Ottawa Senators captain went under the knife in June to repair torn tendons in his foot, an injury he sustained during the playoffs.
Karlsson is skating with the Senators, but the timeline on a possible return is still unclear.
"We’ll see how the next few weeks go along and we know he’ll be back before Christmas, and we hope it’s in October," general manager Pierre Dorion told Sportsnet's "Tim & Sid" on Tuesday.
While the new details of his procedure are shocking to say the least, Karlsson is no stranger to superhuman recoveries. In 2013, he underwent surgery to repair a 70 percent tear in his Achilles, and returned to the ice two months ahead of schedule.
Finally healthy again and eager to contribute, Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos wants to see more from his team to close out the preseason.
Though exhibition records generally don't serve as an accurate barometer of what's to come, the Lightning are currently 2-4 after Tuesday's loss to the Panthers. With such high expectations for 2017-18, Stamkos doesn't want Tampa Bay to rest on its laurels heading into October.
"There's urgency," Stamkos told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "Especially when coming off the year we didn't make the playoffs. We're not sitting here thinking, 'OK, we'll just flip the switch when the season starts.' We need to get better. We need to come together."
Stamkos has looked strong in his return from a torn meniscus suffered last November, earning two assists so far. At this point, though, it seems he'd rather see his team round into shape than add to his personal totals.
"There's only six periods left," Stamkos said. "If we've learned anything from the last couple years, we want to start the season on time, not get behind the eight ball. There's definitely some areas to improve."
The Lightning conclude preseason with games on Thursday and Saturday before kicking their regular season off Oct. 6 against Florida.
As pocket-sized Edmonton Oilers rookie Kailer Yamamoto has shown, size is just a number, and not an indicator of whether a player can contribute at the highest level.
Despite being only 5-foot-8 and 154 pounds, Yamamoto has impressed in his limited preseason showing, registering a league-high five goals in four exhibition games for the Oilers. However, he's still probably at least a year away from regularly gracing an NHL ice surface.
Here's a look at four current NHL players who don't let their small stature impact their ability to be game-changers:
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
If you've ever watched Marchand play, you can understand why he's earned the nickname "The Little Ball of Hate."
At 5-foot-9 and 181 pounds, he's the tallest and heaviest player on this list, and he backs it up on the ice, playing with a physical edge on every shift.
However, Marchand's true role is being the Bruins' top goal man and offensive playmaker. Last season was the 29-year-old's best in the NHL, as he tallied career highs in goals (39), assists (46), and points (85), leading the team in all categories.
Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames
Told at almost every level that he was too small, Gaudreau is a walking example of never letting someone else determine your destiny.
He's one of the most exciting young players in the game, and doesn't let his 5-foot-9, 157-pound frame stop him from being an intimidating offensive force. Over his three years in the league, Johnny Hockey has racked up 204 points in 232 regular-season games.
Regardless of size, Gaudreau is a big piece of the Flames' present and future.
Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers
Standing 5-foot-7, Zuccarello is an offensive spark plug for New York, notching 86 goals and 176 points over 383 career regular-season games. He's also been a key contributor on the Rangers' top power-play unit; since the 2013-14 season, the Norway native has 55 points on the man advantage.
In addition to being an offensive catalyst during the regular season, Zuccarello has performed in the clutch, registering 31 points in 60 career playoff games for the Blue Shirts.
What he lacks in size, he makes up for with his speed and goal-scoring ability.
Cam Atkinson, Columbus Blue Jackets
Probably the most underrated name of the group, Atkinson had a coming-out party last season with the Blue Jackets, leading the club with 35 goals.
The former sixth-round pick is no stranger to being told he couldn't hang with the big boys of the NHL, as his height (5-foot-8) played a factor in his late draft selection.
That hasn't slowed his production, though.
Now an NHL veteran of six NHL campaigns, Atkinson has proven he can be an offensive contributor, tallying 227 points across 382 games while also chipping in on the man advantage with 27 goals.
Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice is a man of few words and even fewer compliments.
So, when Maurice praised third-year winger Nikolaj Ehlers for how he's developed his defensive game, people paid attention.
"The ability to put him on the ice and not be somebody that the centerman has to take care of out there changes what we can do,” Maurice said, according to Paul Friesen of The Winnipeg Sun. "So he has surprised me. Of all the forwards, Nik Ehlers' growth right now is the one I'm most pleased with.
"That line is an option now, and if you'd asked me in July I'd be a bit nervous about it."
If the Jets could ever figure out what's going on in their crease, their nasty group of offensive-minded forwards possess enough talent to take the team back to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
In addition Ehlers, who racked up 64 points in only his second NHL season, the Jets boast super sniper Patrik Laine and the criminally underrated Mark Scheifele, both of whom registered 30-plus-goal seasons last campaign.
If Maurice sticks with some of the line combinations he's been playing with in practice, Ehlers and Laine could form a potentially dangerous offensive duo on Winnipeg's top line when the puck drops on the regular season next week.
Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. Our final list focuses on the greatest players:
Niedermayer, drafted by New Jersey with the pick acquired from Toronto for Tom Kurvers, was one of the catalysts for the Devils evolving into one of the top franchises of the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s. His 18 points during the 2003 run to the Cup led the league, and he finished with four Stanley Cup rings - three with the Devils and one with Anaheim.
59. Al MacInnis
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1416
340
934
1274
373
1511
Known for having one of the scariest slapshots in NHL history, MacInnis was a consistently elite defenseman for the majority of his 23 seasons. He remains top-3 in Flames history in games played (803) and points (822), but didn't win his first Norris Trophy until he was a 35-year-old with the St. Louis Blues. MacInnis ranks third all-time in points among blueliners.
58. Sergei Fedorov
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1248
483
696
1179
261
839
Fedorov burst onto the scene in the early 1990s, averaging better than a point per game in each of his first three seasons before erupting for 120 points en route to the Hart and Pearson awards. One of the top two-way players of his generation, Fedorov focused more on his defensive play later in his career, but still retired as one of the top-50 point scorers in NHL history.
57. Pat LaFontaine
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
865
468
545
1013
-4
552
Concussions robbed LaFontaine of a chance to finish among the top 20 scorers in league history. He was certainly headed in that direction, as he averaged 1.17 points per game for his career before being forced to retire at age 33. On his resume: an All-Star nod, a Masterton trophy, a 148-point season, and two top-five finishes in Hart Trophy voting.
56. Mats Sundin
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1346
564
785
1349
73
1093
In addition to being the heart and soul of the Maple Leafs through some turbulent seasons in the 1990s and 2000s, Sundin was the most consistent scorer of his generation. The towering Swedish forward recorded between 72 and 83 points in 10 straight seasons, at least half of which came during the NHL's "dead-puck" era of the early 2000s.
55. Denis Savard
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1196
377
719
1096
98
1005
Creator of the famed "Savardian Spin-o-rama", the former No. 3 overall pick was an offensive superstar from the moment his skates hit NHL ice. Savard had five 100-point seasons - all in his first eight campaigns - while earning an All-Star nod and finishing in the top-5 in Hart Trophy voting twice. Savard's lone Stanley Cup came with Montreal in 1993.
54. Mike Modano
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1499
561
813
1374
114
930
Modano, taken first overall by Minnesota in 1988, was a driving force in helping grow the sport in the state of Texas after the franchise moved to Dallas. He posted two 90-point seasons and recorded 80 or more points six other times, finishing second in the Calder Trophy race and making one All-Star team. He led the playoffs in assists en route to a Stanley Cup in 1999.
53. Jarome Iginla
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1554
625
675
1300
30
1040
With Iginla settling into a bottom-six role in the twilight of his career, newer fans to the sport might not realize just how dominant he was in his prime. The Edmonton native is a two-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner, and he took home a scoring title in 2002 with 96 points. He's the top scorer in Flames history, and has been named to four All-Star teams.
52. Bernie Parent
GP
W
L
T/O
GAA
SO
608
271
198
121
2.55
54
While the 1970s belonged to Ken Dryden and the Montreal Canadiens, Parent staked his claim as one of the best netminders of the decade with two amazing seasons. The Montreal native went 91-27-22 with a 1.96 GAA and 24 shutouts in the '73-'74 and '74-'75 campaigns, winning the Vezina Trophy both years while leading the Flyers to back-to-back Cups.
51. Joe Thornton
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1446
384
1007
1391
206
1156
Thornton had just seven points as a rookie in 1997-98, but things got a lot better from there, as the bearded legend won a Hart Trophy in 2006 with 125 points and has led the league in assists on three different occasions. Thornton has four All-Star nominations under his belt, and his 160 postseason games played rank fifth among active skaters.
50. Brendan Shanahan
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1524
656
698
1354
151
2489
The halfway point of our list features one of the best power forwards the league has ever seen. Shanahan is the only player in NHL history with more than 1,300 career points and 2,000 penalty minutes - and with scoring and fighting both down from his heyday, it'll be a party of one for a while. Shanahan was also a six-time 40-goal scorer and three-time All-Star.
49. Peter Stastny
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
977
450
789
1239
-12
824
Stastny is the epitome of an underappreciated forward, finishing a distant second to Wayne Gretzky in scoring in the 1980s. A Calder Trophy is the only major award Stastny won during his 15-year NHL career, despite breaking the 100-point barrier in each of his first six seasons and doing it again in 1987-88. Had he come to the NHL three years earlier, he might be a top-25 player.
48. Doug Gilmour
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1474
450
964
1414
132
1301
It's stunning to think that Gilmour never made an end-of-season All-Star roster; after all, he had three 100-point seasons and finished his career ranked 14th on the all-time assists list. He won a Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989, came oh-so-close on two occasions with Toronto, and finished with 188 career postseason points, tied for the eighth-most all-time.
47. Brian Leetch
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1205
247
781
1028
25
571
Leetch was one of the best defensemen in the league in his 20s, winning a pair of Norris Trophies while making five All-Star rosters and earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Rangers ended a 54-year Cup drought in 1994. And while he didn't continue that success into his 30s, that nine-year span to open his career measures favorably against any defensemen of his generation.
46. Bobby Clarke
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1144
358
852
1210
506
1453
Longevity is the only thing keeping Clarke from rocketing up this list. That said, winning three Hart Trophies in a four-year span is an incredible achievement for a player who wasn't taken until the second round of the 1969 draft. Clarke led the league in assists in back-to-back seasons in the 1970s, and was the key offensive piece of the Flyers' title teams in 1974 and '75.
45. Tony Esposito
GP
W
L
T/O
GAA
SO
886
423
306
151
2.92
76
It might not have been quite as prolific as George Hainsworth's debut, but what Esposito did in his first five NHL seasons is astonishing. The acrobatic netminder went 170-72-48 with a 2.16 GAA and 44 shutouts over that stretch, winning three Vezina Trophies and a Calder award, while finishing in the top-10 in Hart Trophy voting all five seasons. He made five All-Star teams in total.
44. Pavel Bure
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
702
437
342
779
42
484
Bure flashed brightly and then flickered out, leaving the league at 31 despite playing only 702 NHL games. His impact was immeasurable; the electrifying skater won three goal-scoring titles - including back-to-back crowns at the turn of the century - and was named to three All-Star rosters. His 31 playoff points nearly lifted Vancouver to its first Stanley Cup title in 1994.
43. Howie Morenz
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
550
271
201
472
--
546
Morenz is one of the most respected players to ever suit up for the Canadiens, winning three Hart Trophies and leading the league in scoring twice. He didn't have the same impact in brief stints with Chicago and the Rangers, but his contributions for the Habs - including a 40-goal season in 1929-30 - were more than enough to land him in the Hall of Fame.
42. Gilbert Perreault
GP
G
A
P
+/-
PIM
1191
512
814
1326
42
500
Perreault remains one of the biggest stars in Buffalo sports history, three decades after playing his final NHL game. The No. 1 overall pick in 1970 won the Calder Trophy with a 72-point showing in 1970-71, and he would go on to make a pair of All-Star teams while posting a career-best 113 points in 1975-76. He added 103 points in 90 career playoff games.
41. Luc Robitaille
Robitaille went from being a ninth-round pick in 1984 - major-league pitcher Tom Glavine was taken by the Kings five rounds earlier - to becoming the most prolific left-winger in NHL history. Robitaille was an All-Star in each of his first seven seasons, reaching the 50-goal plateau three times - including a career-best 63 in 1992-93. He won his only Cup with Detroit in 2002.
