One day after an NBA player-led walkout forced the league to postpone games and led to other leagues doing the same in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake, the NHL appears to be following suit.
The NHL is expected to postpone games through Friday, with all eight remaining teams affected, reports TSN's Darren Dreger, who adds that the league is finalizing Saturday's schedule.
The NHL may join the NBA and other leagues in postponing play to protest racial injustice, as players are being told to prepare for game cancellations Thursday, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
Players in at least one dressing room have voted to not play their game Thursday, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
The Hockey Diversity Alliance, led by Evander Kane and Akim Aliu, asked the league to suspend play Thursday.
Over 100 players in the Edmonton and Toronto bubbles had a phone conversation with Kane and Matt Dumba (another HDA member) Thursday, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
The Hockey Diversity Alliance has made a formal request to the NHL to suspend all Thursday playoff games, group co-head and San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane announced.
We the @TheOfficialHDA have formally requested the @NHL to suspend all playoff games today. We strongly feel this sends a clear message that human rights take priority over sports.
There are two NHL playoff games scheduled for Thursday. The New York Islanders are set to face the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of their second-round series at 7 p.m. ET, while the Vegas Golden Knights and Vancouver Canucks are scheduled to play the third game of their series at 9:45 p.m. ET. Both series are tied 1-1.
The NBA suspended all of its postseason games scheduled for Wednesday and has reportedly postponed all tilts scheduled for Thursday. Players from several teams refused to play Wednesday's contests after Rusten Sheskey, a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man, several times in the back during an arrest Sunday. The NBA playoffs will reportedly resume Friday.
A handful of MLB teams also chose not to play Wednesday, though all three NHL playoff games went ahead as scheduled.
Every group of friends has that person who just doesn't shut up. The chatterbox, the one who invites himself or herself into any and all discussions.
For the Vegas Golden Knights, that person is Jonathan Marchessault.
"Marchy is in the middle of every conversation and of every argument that anyone on the team has," head coach Peter DeBoer reported last week, a few days before the 5-foot-9 forward scored the series-opening goal in Round 2 against the Vancouver Canucks.
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This isn't a newfound social skill for Marchessault, who turns 30 in December. The 30-goal forward rarely kept quiet in his years with the Florida Panthers before they foolishly left him unprotected ahead of the 2017 Vegas expansion draft. He gabbed his way through his first six pro seasons, too, paying his dues for three other clubs - the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tampa Bay Lightning - while skating mainly in the AHL.
"When he was sitting by me on the plane playing cards, it was like he was a kid brother," former teammate and retired NHL defenseman Matt Carle recently said by phone, shedding light on the 2015-16 Lightning season, in particular. "You wanted to slap him sometimes. Like, 'Shut up, Marchy!'"
Added Carle, who's six years Marchessault's senior: "I was an older guy at the time, so it was kind of a breath of fresh air that he was himself all the time, not shy - although sometimes you did want to put a muzzle on him."
Others around the hockey world who know Marchessault well offer nearly identical responses to questions about the feisty Quebec City native's place within the team structure. "There's some days where you're tired around the rink and he's just bouncing off the walls, wanting to play pingpong," said Dalton Smith, Marchessault's former roommate and teammate for four seasons split between AHL Springfield and AHL Syracuse. "It's nice. It helps you get out of those funks. You can't help but laugh and be happy as well."
Marchessault's exuberance can get on the nerves of some team members and land him in hot water on social media, as in the case of the incident chronicled Wednesday by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Marchessault apologized during a press conference later that day, calling his Instagram responses to critics "childish, immature, and not professional."
But his personality can also diffuse tension in the dressing room. As a star talent with a sunny disposition and plenty of confidence, he's one of the rare off-ice "glue guys" - that's DeBoer's label - who's also vitally important on the ice.
"I'm a pretty positive guy," Marchessault said in an interview between the first and second rounds of the postseason. "If I lose a playoff game, the next morning I'll be pissed off. But it's going to go away with the day.
"Life is too short to be frustrated and mad. At midnight, it's always a new day. Everybody should regroup and be positive and keep going with your day, and do whatever you can to be a good person and be a better version of yourself."
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The Golden Knights have experienced a fair amount of turnover since debuting in spectacular fashion three years ago, replacing Gerard Gallant with DeBoer behind the bench in January and changing several names on the roster through signings and trades. Of the 22 players who have appeared in a 2020 playoff game for Vegas, 12 have been with the franchise for the entirety of its existence. Newcomers include key forwards Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Paul Stastny, as well as current No. 1 goalie Robin Lehner.
Despite the changes, the personality of the group has stayed intact thanks to a strong core that includes Marchessault, Marc-Andre Fleury, Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore, Ryan Reaves, Reilly Smith, and a few others. But no one, not even the affable Fleury, a fan favorite since Day 1, seems to embody the identity of the Golden Knights quite like Marchessault.
He enters Thursday's Game 3 against Vancouver (the series is tied 1-1) as his team's all-time leading scorer, having recorded 216 points in 262 regular-season and playoff games. His playing style, which combines strong skating, shooting, and offensive instincts with a high hockey IQ and attention to detail on the defensive side of the puck, blends perfectly with the way Gallant and now DeBoer have asked the team to play. Underused or underappreciated by four different NHL organizations before arriving in Vegas, he and his journey fit the "Golden Misfit" mold nicely.
Assessing the composition of Vegas' roster, Marchessault's boldest on- and off-ice traits can be found in some form or another elsewhere in the lineup. Fleury boasts the same no-bad-days outlook on life; Schmidt has a similar reputation as a goofball and is a fellow leader of Vegas' so-called "fun committee" within the Edmonton bubble; Stone competes with a comparable inner fire and intensity; Reilly Smith is just as dedicated in his attention to defensive assignments; bruising winger William Carrier also rarely passes up an opportunity to finish a body check.
"We're just trying to show up every night and give everything we've got. He does that," Carrier said of Marchessault. "And, you know what, he actually plays pretty physical. He's got a couple of good hits, and he gets involved."
Marchessault rubbed out Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane in Round 1 and delivered healthy licks on a few Canucks players through the first two games of Round 2, most notably Elias Pettersson in the first period of the opener. In 10 postseason games, he's racked up 27 hits (fourth on the Golden Knights) and eight points (tied for fourth) while averaging 16:23 of ice time a night, his action split between even-strength play and Vegas' power-play opportunities.
Dave Sandford / Getty Images
It wasn't that long ago when Marchessault was without a full-time spot on an NHL roster. Heading into the 2015-16 season, Marchessault, then a 24-year-old dad of two with an expiring contract, posed a question to his wife Alexandra: Should we continue here or head overseas to carve out a lengthy career in a top European league?
"We were spending a couple of months at the (Tampa) hotel, and I told her I'm giving myself one more chance to make the NHL," Marchessault said. "That year, the Lightning had three or four injuries up front, so I was able to get a bigger role for them and I started doing well and I made the team." He dressed for 45 NHL games, a career high at that point. There were low moments as a healthy scratch - "there were certainly days when he'd get frustrated," Carle said - but, overall, it was the progress he needed.
It snowballed into a two-year, $1.5-million contract with the Panthers. Then, an injury to Jonathan Huberdeau in October 2016 put Marchessault on a line with two-way master Aleksander Barkov and living legend Jaromir Jagr. He took full advantage, scoring 11 points in the first month of the season and 51 over 75 total games.
"It takes an opportunity, a break, the right timing, the right person, for most players to succeed, you know?" said CAA Hockey's Pat Brisson, who became Marchessault's agent midway through his first season with Florida. "Not everyone is Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid or Patrick Kane. He's got an amazing story of perseverance and resilience."
Making it that far was an incredible feat considering Marchessault's career almost stalled years earlier in junior, where he butted heads with Hall of Famer Patrick Roy. Marchessault would often come to the rink upset about hockey or something in his personal life. Roy, the owner, general manager, and head coach of the Quebec Remparts, wouldn't tolerate the negativity and entitled attitude. In hindsight, it was both a reality check and a turning point, though Tuesday night's social media outburst showed Marchessault can still struggle to let go of a loss.
"He made my life tough, but he made me realize as well that you have to do everything you can do to be better every day," Marchessault said of Roy. "Life's a grind, so you've got to work every day."
Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Ten years later, Marchessault finds himself in a bubble in Alberta competing for the Stanley Cup. In the middle of a pandemic, he's about to finish the second season of a six-year deal with the Golden Knights that pays him $5 million a campaign. Alexandra and the kids (the couple now has four little ones) are back in the Vegas suburb of Summerlin, though they may make the trip north if Dad makes the conference finals and health and safety protocols allow for such a visit.
"You talk to them every day and, also as a parent, you miss a lot of things. My 1-year-old started walking and … my two oldest, they started school. It's all stuff that you miss, and it's really unfortunate as a parent to miss those (moments)," he said. "They're asking me how many (days) before they're going to see me. It's hard for me to give them an answer. It could be possible later in the playoffs, but (the current protocol is) not necessarily adequate."
In the meantime, Marchessault is making the most of bubble life after years on the bubble. Vegas' fun committee - tailor-made for a chatterbox like Marchessault - is a welcome distraction as the team tries to navigate a once-in-a-lifetime situation. The talented "glue guy" has never really changed, even as he's settled into his tenure with the Golden Knights.
"He's always got something to say. He's always got a lot of enthusiasm around the rink, loves being at the rink. I feel like he's a perfect guy for it," Vegas forward Nick Cousins said of Marchessault's involvement in the committee. "He always wants to play cards, he always wants to do something. I don't think he can sit in his room for more than five minutes."
In the aftermath of multiple professional teams refusing to play their respective games in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was asked why the NHL seems to lag behind the rest of the sporting world when it comes to adequately addressing racial injustice.
"Unfortunately, we can't control some of the things that go on in the outside world," Cooper said, per theScore's John Matisz. "I truly believe that, whether it's pro sports, or the business world, or whatever it is, at some point we're all going to have to come together.
"I think, whether you say the NHL is behind or ahead, I think the league has done so many good things in so many different avenues and this is one that we need to pick our head up and take notice, and there's no doubt we will."
Cooper's comments come after the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for their playoff contest versus the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Every subsequent match on the day's NBA schedule was then postponed, while the WNBA and MLB also had games called off in solidarity.
Members of both the Lightning and Bruins said they were made aware of other leagues postponing games upon arriving to the rink Wednesday, so they didn't have enough time to make a decision on potentially sitting out themselves.
"So, it's hard for me to answer this question, especially - like I said - with what happened while were were playing and before that," Cooper said. "But I know, (with) the league and the people running it, at some point everything will be addressed. Like I said, we'll get ourselves up to speed and support what needs to be done."
The NHL held a moment of reflection prior to the Lightning-Bruins clash on Wednesday to recognize Blake's family and condemn racism. However, there was no such event before the late game between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
Hockey Diversity Alliance members Evander Kane and Matt Dumba called out the NHL on Wednesday night for a lack of action regarding the shooting of Blake just weeks after Dumba made a powerful speech about the Black Lives Matter movement on a national stage.
Members of the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning insisted Wednesday that they were made aware upon arriving to the rink that the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to play their NBA playoff game in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
As a result, there wasn't enough time to make a decision on delaying their own postseason clash.
"It was so close to our game that we were just getting ready," said Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "We support fighting against racism and injustice. There's different ways to express that fight. Obviously, NBA players expressed their opinions about it by boycotting the games today. We support it."
"We really didn't find out that the other leagues had taken their stances when we got here tonight," Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said, per Fox Sports. "I think for us, it's something we found out by the time got to the rink and something we'll have to address going forward."
The Bucks didn't take the court for Game 5 of their first-round series versus the Orlando Magic earlier in the afternoon. All games on Wednesday's NBA schedule were subsequently postponed.
All scheduled WNBA contests along with three MLB games were also called off.
The NHL held a moment of reflection to condemn racial injustice and acknowledge Blake's family prior to Game 3 between the Bruins and Lightning.
There was no moment of remembrance prior to the Dallas Stars-Colorado Avalanche clash in the Western Conference bubble, according to The Athletic's Thomas Drance.
With other major professional sports leagues' players actively protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake this past weekend, Evander Kane and Matt Dumba are calling out the NHL and its players for failing to do the same.
"I'll be honest, I haven't really heard much in regards to Jacob Blake's attempted murder. It's unfortunate, we're obviously talking about another Black man unarmed being shot in the back in front of his children," Kane said, per Sportsnet. "But again, we had these conversations earlier with the George Floyd killing of continuing the conversation, furthering the conversation, everybody wanting to be better and making sure that we're more vocal and we do better moving forward. Here's another example, unfortunately, but it's also another example of the lack of with regards to our league and our players and our media that cover our game.
"It's not just my responsibility as a minority player in the NHL to be talking about these issues. It's not just Wayne Simmonds or Akim Aliu or Joel Ward or Matt Dumba's stance or issues in this society, it's everybody's. Until everybody decides to take it upon themselves and maybe step away from some of their privileges to educate themselves and really fight with us, we're going to be in the same situation we are today," he continued.
Kane has been outwardly critical of the league's response to the Black Lives Matter movement several times over the past few months. He helped create the Hockey Diversity Alliance in June to eliminate racism and intolerance in hockey.
While Kane appreciates the support he's seen from players around the league in recent months, he still wants to see real action from them.
"It's great to write statements, it's great to send tweets, it's great to post stories and pictures on Instagram," Kane said, "but at the end of the day it's going to be about real action and meaningful change, and unfortunately that still isn't occurring, and we need to be better."
Dumba, who delivered a powerful speech on the Black Lives Matter movement at the beginning of the league's qualifying round before kneeling for the national anthem, shared similar sentiments on the league's lack of a response.
"NHL is always last to the party on these topics," Dumba said on Sportsnet 650, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshysnki. "It's kind of sad and disheartening for me and for members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, and I'm sure for other guys across the league. But if no one stands up and does anything, then it's the same thing. That silence. You're just outside, looking in on actually being leaders and evoking real change when you have such an opportunity to do so."
Dumba continued, explaining what he believes is needed for ongoing change.
"It's so much bigger than sports. In hockey, that's what it comes back to. You're just relying on the minority guys to step up and say it. But what would really make the most impact is to have strong white leaders from teams step up and have their two cents heard," Dumba said.
"All the other white kids who grow up watching them, who might be their biggest fans, can look up and say, 'Wow, if he's seeing this and trying to stand up and to listen, then why I am not as well? Why am I continuing to hold on to this ignorance or hate that I feel towards a subject that I maybe don't know everything about?'"
The NBA postponed all three of its playoff games on Wednesday after players from the Milwaukee Bucks opted not to play in protest. A handful of MLB teams and players followed suit.
The NHL has two games on the schedule Wednesday night. The first, between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, began at 8 p.m. ET. The second, between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, is slated for 10:30 p.m. ET.
