[News] Fleury defies NHL by wearing special mask for Wild's Native American Heritage night

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

That is the right move. Let the league suffer a ####load of backlash if they try and make a stink about it.

Yep, I want more of this every time they make a dumb decision. Don't let the league try to quietly say no to things. Force them into acting on their stance and the public scrutiny that comes with it.

[You Need a Thneed]

That mask is WAY too nice looking to not be worn on the ice.

[Reggie Dunlop]

The league has brought this on themselves. They had the bright idea to promote inclusion, then those very groups want to show the symbols of inclusion.

[kyuss275]

Glad he wore it. It’s a beautiful mask.

[taxbuster]

Saw him wearing it on SN Central -- that is excellent. Can't wait to see what the dumb ***** who run the NHL try to do about it.

[Bubba17]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Ya, all the NHL owners are not white guys

Just maybe then a person of color/minority should step up and buy a team next time one is for sale. How do you blame the color of the owner on who has the financial ability to own a team.

[monkeyman]

Love that Fleury chose to wear it.

[DoubleK]

Fleury was already quite likeable.

Then he goes and does this.

I tip my cap, sir.

[Caged Great]

It's getting to the point where telling the NHL where to go is the right call in general.

Really idiotic controversy. Everyone involved in this rolling calamity should be let go and get some new blood in there.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Locke

Considering the events of the past few years one would think that Minnesota would be desperate to attach itself to any piece of racial 'Goodwill' that comes its way.

Speaking of which, buddy got stabbed in prison today.

[Samonadreau]

I dont expect a fine. Same thing happened when the pride tape was an issue and it was on the stick of a player (a little obscure but on there). NHL folded like a cheap tent and allowed pride tape. They were hoping they could roll this out with no issues to help save a few bigots the public/media controversy. It will ultimately backfire and they will not do anything to fine anybody who wears something, because if they did it would be a PR nightmare.

[bluejays]

Some instances appear to be silly on the NHLs part, but I'm going to take the contrarian approach here and say I agree with the NHL. Sports is entertainment but also a business. Seemingly a lot of the social stuff the NHL has been promoting because of social norming have been marred in controversy. If now they're saying any special nights, military, LGBT, anything, is barred and they don't want these cracks to bend the rules, good. They're not against any of these things in particular, but they're saying we're in the entertainment business and not going to open ourselves up to controversy - we're just not going to open it up for anything. I have no problem with that because they're drawing the line pretty clearly now. At this point I have no problem with that approach because it's even across the board.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

He should wear it the rest of the season.

This is exactly what he should do, and it’s why this is so stupid. If he unveiled this exact mask as just an every day mask the NHL wouldn’t have said a thing because there’s nothing remotely controversial about it.

Not that I agree with it, but given the political climate in North America I could at least understand their rationale behind the Pride stuff. But this? Literally no one thinks indigenous nights are controversial. The NHL seemingly made up a controversy for no coherent reason.

[Reggie Dunlop]

We've come a long way from the days of Grant Fuhr and his agent threatening to sue the Oilers/NHL because he wanted to put paid Pepsi Cola logos on his goal pads.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Some instances appear to be silly on the NHLs part, but I'm going to take the contrarian approach here and say I agree with the NHL. Sports is entertainment but also a business. Seemingly a lot of the social stuff the NHL has been promoting because of social norming have been marred in controversy. If now they're saying any special nights, military, LGBT, anything, is barred and they don't want these cracks to bend the rules, good. They're not against any of these things in particular, but they're saying we're in the entertainment business and not going to open ourselves up to controversy - we're just not going to open it up for anything. I have no problem with that because they're drawing the line pretty clearly now. At this point I have no problem with that approach because it's even across the board.

But every goalie mask is custom designed isn’t it? So now the nhl has judged indigenous artwork to be less worthy and acceptable to all of the other artwork in the league. Please explain that to me,

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I'm trying to like you NHL, stop making it hard.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Some instances appear to be silly on the NHLs part, but I'm going to take the contrarian approach here and say I agree with the NHL. Sports is entertainment but also a business. Seemingly a lot of the social stuff the NHL has been promoting because of social norming have been marred in controversy. If now they're saying any special nights, military, LGBT, anything, is barred and they don't want these cracks to bend the rules, good. They're not against any of these things in particular, but they're saying we're in the entertainment business and not going to open ourselves up to controversy - we're just not going to open it up for anything. I have no problem with that because they're drawing the line pretty clearly now. At this point I have no problem with that approach because it's even across the board.

That's the problem with them half-assing it like this. They didn't ban those nights, in fact, the reason he had the mask painted was because the Wild were celebrating their Native Heritage night tonight.

If the league doesn't want the teams to have these nights, tell them not to have them. Don't schedule them and then tell the players they can't actually acknowledge them.

The league still wants to have those nights and the goodwill and revenue they generate by selling the special merchandise to the fans and auctioning off the practice jerseys (that no one has actually worn).

This and the Pride Tape nonsense are just the league unnecessarily shooting itself in the foot. If they hadn't said anything, this would have been a little feel-good footnote to the Wild's game.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

This stuff started before Israel situation.

But I could see the bud light backlash being why.

I could also see it being the opposite. If they allow woke causes, the next thing you know a player is wearing a MAGA mask or some other ####ty right wing stupidity that could set off a firestorm. There are no shortage of brain dead conservative nhlers.

Heaven help us

[Locke]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Speaking of which, buddy got stabbed in prison today.

Couldnt happen to a nicer guy.

[gordo67]

Cool mask, wanna honor your wife then wear it for the whole season or a fair amount of. Maybe he is trying to make a point but come on already. The NHL never took away these “inclusive” nights because they are homophobic, racist etc. Remember that “WE” started all of this by making a big deal out of a player not wanting to wear a pride jersey. The NHL had to take a stand and stick with it, huge distraction which never should have been.