"RIP George Floyd. So sad to see (what's) happening everywhere and (in) DC," Ovechkin said Monday on Twitter. "It is so important for us to respect and love each other no matter what we look like! We need (to) listen and do change ... please stay safe ... take care (of) each other and family."
Protests against police brutality and racial injustice began across North America following Floyd's death Monday while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police. Derek Chauvin, the now-former police officer who pinned Floyd's neck with his knee for over eight minutes while he was handcuffed on the ground, was fired and has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is part of the small minority of black NHL players, challenged high-profile athletes to use their platform to denounce racism.
Since then, several NHL players, including Blake Wheeler, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Toews, John Tavares, and Kane's teammate Logan Couture have spoken out against racial injustices. Kane said Monday that it's "a small step in the right direction" to see white NHL players taking a stance against racism.
Madison Square Garden Company chairman James Dolan sent an email to employees Monday defending the organization's decision to not release a public statement following the death of George Floyd, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.
"This is a turbulent time in our country. The coronavirus and civil unrest have taken their toll on our way of life," Dolan wrote. "We at Madison Square Company stand by our values of a respectful and peaceful workplace. We always will.
"As companies in the business of sports and entertainment, however, we are not any more qualified than anyone else to offer our opinion on social matters. What's important is how we operate. Our companies are committed to upholding our values, which include creating a respectful workplace for all, and that will never change. What we say to each other matters. How we treat each other matters. And that's what will get us through this difficult time."
New York Knicks players and employees are furious that the team, which Dolan owns through MSG, has not released a statement, according to ESPN's Pablo S. Torre.
The New York Rangers, also owned by Dolan, have yet to release a statement despite several other NHL franchises doing so, including the New York Islanders.
Numerous sports executives, franchises, leagues, and other organizations across North America have condemned racial injustices faced by African-Americans following Floyd's death while in the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25.
New York Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller released a statement Monday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement amid protests across the United States in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis last week.
Miller was racially abused in the comment section of a Zoom introductory press conference in early April following the signing of his entry-level contract. The team and NHL released statements condemning the behavior, but Miller says he stayed quiet because he didn't want to take the spotlight in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But in light of recent incidents, Miller, a Minnesota native, felt it was time to speak up.
"In the midst of the senseless death of George Floyd, at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, the peaceful protests and violent riots have become the focus for all of us," Miller said. "I want to express my growing concern for the safety of our citizens of color, specifically in my home state, given recent events. I support the Black Lives Matter movement."
"I struggle because I've never been fully accepted by either the black community or the white community. I struggle because for years I have been one of the only people of color on my hockey teams. I have been targeted because of my race when I was in youth hockey by some coaches, parents, and players, but I refused to give up because of my love for the game."
"You can only imagine how it felt to have an organization like the New York Rangers draft me, the hockey player. For that one moment in time I didn't have to be defined by the color of my skin but rather on my hockey skills, athletic ability, and character. This is how it should be all the time. It's time for action, time for change, and once and for all, it's time to let black people be judged based on who we are and not what we look like."
The Rangers drafted Miller 22nd overall in 2018. He's spent the past two years playing at the University of Wisconsin.
Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is challenging himself and others in a place of privilege to approach the fight against racial injustice with compassion and empathy.
"Compassion to me is at least trying to feel and understand what someone else is going through," Toews said on Instagram. "For just a moment maybe I can try to see the world through their eyes.
"My message isn't for black people and what they should do going forward. My message is to white people to open our eyes and our hearts. That's the only choice we have, otherwise this will continue."
Protests against racism and police brutality began across North America in response to George Floyd's death Monday in Minneapolis. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after now-former police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with his knee for over eight minutes while Floyd was in handcuffs. Chauvin was fired and has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
"I can't pretend for a second that I know what it feels like to walk in a black man's shoes," Toews wrote. "However, seeing the video of George Floyd's death and the violent reaction across the country moved me to tears.
"It has pushed me to think how much pain are black people and other minorities really feeling? What have Native American people dealt with in both Canada and the U.S.? What is it really like to grow up in their world? Where am I ignorant about the privileges that I may have that others don't?"
San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, who is part of the small minority of black players in the NHL, challenged high-profile athletes to use their platforms to denounce injustice.
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Florida Panthers veteran defenseman Anton Stralman questioned the safety of the NHL's plan to host a 24-team playoff, and isn't sure if the reward of pursuing a Stanley Cup outweighs the health and logistical concerns of playing hockey during a pandemic.
He continued: "I think you should be concerned. There are so many ways to look at this thing. I know everybody wants hockey back, but safety has to come first. And it’s a little bit worrisome, I can’t deny that. Even though most players are young and healthy, I’m sure there are players like me that have underlying health issues. I don’t know how my body will react if I get this virus."
Stralman is in his 13th NHL season, and first with the Panthers. He's dealt with bronchiectasis - a condition that prevents mucus from clearing in his lungs - since his time with the New York Rangers and just stopped taking medication for it this past year.
On top of concern for himself, Stralman spoke about the dangers of contracting COVID-19 in the league's proposed hub cities.
"It would be terrible if we fly into hub cities and start playing, and maybe one of the workers in the building gets it," Stralman said. "It’s not just the 50 guys on the team, there’s a lot of people that need to be there to make this work. If some of those people get sick and potentially die from that, who is responsible? And is this something I want to be part of? It's about the safety, not just for me but everyone involved. That raises a lot of questions on if we should do this thing. And if we do, would there be a price to pay for it?
"I'm not sure that's the right thing to do."
Stralman and the Panthers were three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third spot in the Atlantic Division when the league went on pause March 12. By virtue of the league's expanded postseason format, Florida earned the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference and are slated to take on the New York Islanders in a best-of-five series in the play-in round.
Think you have what it takes to be the Ken Jennings or James Holzhauer of the sports world? Find out by taking our latest quiz, made up of sports-themed "Final Jeopardy" questions from the iconic game show.
The contract has an average annual value of $825,000 and will begin next season.
Chisholm, a fifth-round pick of the Jets in 2018, ranked tied for second among OHL blue-liners with 56 assists and third with 69 points in 2019-20. The 20-year-old was third on the Peterborough Petes in points behind forwards Nick Robertson and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev.
The Jets have a need for defensemen at the NHL level, but their prospect pool is brimming with talent. Winnipeg's top three prospects - Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg, and Logan Stanley - all play defense.
Evander Kane is pleased with what he's seen so far from a growing number of prominent white figures in the NHL after he called upon them to speak out against racial injustice and anti-black racism in the wake of George Floyd's death.
"For me, it's been … it's been a good step. A small step in the right direction," the San Jose Sharks forward told The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark on Sunday. "It was great to see not only from white players in the league but our owner, Hasso Plattner, being the first on that front with his own words and not just issuing a general statement on behalf of the organization. That was awesome to see from him. It shows the type of character he has and the type of character we have in this organization.
"I am a believer in things starting at the top, and it does not get any higher at the top than with ownership. It was great he was taking the lead on these type of things."
Kane wasn't entirely satisfied with the responses - or, in some cases, the lack thereof - from the sports world as a whole. He pointed to the fact that the NBA's Toronto Raptors addressed racism as an organization Saturday night, but the Maple Leafs, who have the same ownership group, had not yet done so. The franchise released its own statement after Kane spoke to Clark on Sunday evening.
"People might say, 'You're nitpicking' and, 'You're looking for something that is not there,' that it's bullshit," the Sharks forward said. "It does not come off that way to me or to us. It speaks to the culture of hockey at the highest level and the people in positions who are at the highest level."
A multitude of sports leagues and teams - including the NHL and many of its clubs - have condemned racism over the last few days. Floyd, a black man, died Monday after a white police officer in Minneapolis kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The incident was captured on video and has led to protests across the United States.
Hockey is a team game, but often a head-to-head matchup can significantly impact the outcome of a contest. Below, we highlight five of the most important individual battles in the qualifying round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Phillip Danault vs. Sidney Crosby
Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Info
Danault
Crosby
Team
MTL
PIT
Pos.
C
C
Age
27
32
Height
6'1
5'11
Weight
198 lbs
200 lbs
This may seem like a completely one-sided mismatch, but Danault is one of the league's most underrated two-way centers. Among all pivots to play 500-plus minutes at five-on-five this season, he finished near or at the top of the league in several advanced possession stats. That includes ranking first in CF% (59.4), first in xGF% (59.9), first in SCF% (59.5), and fourth in HDCF% (60.3), according to Natural Stat Trick.
Obviously, Danault's hands will be full while battling Crosby. The Canadiens will also be dealing with a mismatch regardless of who tries to slow Evgeni Malkin. So if Danault can't contain Crosby - or if Carey Price can't stand on his head - this series will be over early.
Seth Jones vs. Auston Matthews
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Info
Jones
Matthews
Team
CLB
TOR
Pos.
RD
C
Age
25
22
Height
6'4
6'3
Weight
209 lbs
223 lbs
The Maple Leafs-Blue Jackets series pits Toronto's juggernaut offense against one of the league's stingiest defensive clubs. For the Jackets to win, Matthews, the Leafs' offensive catalyst, needs to be contained, and Jones is bound to see heavy minutes against his fellow countryman.
Jones wasn't supposed to take part in this year's playoffs. He was given an 8-to-10 week timeline in February after suffering a fractured ankle, but now that the season has been on pause for nearly three months, the 25-year-old should be ready.
Jones is a huge X-factor in this series. Defending Matthews is extremely difficult because he needs just a sliver of space in the slot to unleash his lethal wrister. But with Jones' superb skating and long reach, he can take time and space away from Matthews. He's also a good shot-blocker, and Matthews finished fourth in the league this season with 290 shots.
The Blackhawks simply don't belong in the playoffs after placing last in their division and finishing 32-30-8. For them to stand a chance against a far superior Oilers team, Kane needs to go off. While Toews' defensive presence can be huge, no Chicago player can take over a game offensively like Kane.
As Edmonton's top left-handed defenseman, it'll likely be Klefbom contending with Kane for the majority of each game. The Swede was a workhorse for the Oilers this season, finishing fifth in the NHL in average time on ice (25:25). He's not very physical despite his size, so Klefbom will attempt to use strong positioning and an active stick to keep Kane in check.
Connor Hellebuyck vs. Matthew Tkachuk
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Info
Hellebuyck
Tkachuk
Team
WPG
CGY
Pos.
G
LW
Age
27
22
Height
6'4
6'2
Weight
207 lbs
202 lbs
Over just four NHL seasons, Tkachuk has made a long list of enemies with his in-your-face style of play. While his disputes with Drew Doughty and Zack Kassian come to mind first, Tkachuk's willingness to go hard to the net - sometimes too hard - has led to many run-ins with goalies.
There's no big, tough defenseman like Dustin Byfuglien or Jacob Trouba on the Jets anymore to make Tkachuk think twice about crashing the net. He's going to live right in front of the blue paint all series, and Hellebuyck can't let Tkachuk get to him. The netminder is a Vezina Trophy favorite and the Jets' most important player. If he's off his game because Tkachuk is wreaking havoc, that's a huge advantage for the Flames.
Jonas Brodin vs. Elias Pettersson
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Info
Brodin
Pettersson
Team
MIN
VAN
Pos.
LD
C
Age
26
21
Height
6'1
6'2
Weight
198 lbs
176 lbs
There's a bevy of options available among the Wild's blue-liners to match up against the highly skilled Pettersson, but perhaps nobody is better suited than Brodin. He doesn't get the same attention that Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, or even Matt Dumba receive, but Brodin is one of the league's better shutdown defensemen.
As The Point Hockey's Mike Kelly highlighted in his breakdown of Brodin's game, the Wild's rearguard led all defenders in five-on-five zone-entry denials, and he finished second in defensive zone blocked passes.
Pettersson is difficult to defend because he can burn opponents off the rush with his vision or shot, and he can also beat defenders in tight with his slick hands. But Brodin is a skilled defender at all areas of the ice.
Minnesota's goaltending is a question mark, so the Wild's defense needs to keep shots to the outside. The Canucks, meanwhile, don't get much production beyond their top-six forwards, so if Pettersson's line struggles to create offense, more pressure will fall on Bo Horvat's trio. This all Swede matchup will be integral.
