Avs Use Pause to Learn More About Racial Injustice

The NHL players of the eight remaining teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs came together and chose not to play any games on Thursday or Friday. The purpose of postponing those contests was to use the two days to learn more about the racial injustice in today's society and find ways to help end systematic racism.
The players decided that hockey needed to be put on hold in order to make a statement and protest the racial injustice that continues to be evident in light of the recent shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It was a conclusion that the league supported.
"We postponed two days of NHL playoff hockey, I think that's a big deal," said Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon. "Making our statement, being unified, you saw the press conference with everyone here together. I think the same message, I think if you ask any player, they would relay the same message to everybody."

It appeared that every player remaining in the Edmonton, Alberta, bubble came together for the news conference on Thursday to show solidarity and explain that the players came to the conclusion that games need to be postponed with a goal of helping influence positive change in society.

Representing the Avalanche at the mics were Nazem Kadri and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Kadri, a Muslim man that is of Lebanese descent after his father immigrated to Canada as a young child, has been one of the leaders in the hockey community's movement to eliminate systematic racism and is a founding member of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which was created in June of this year.
"Obviously systemic racism, we can use these next couple days to further educate ourselves and try to [do it] for the betterment of society," Kadri said during the news conference. "It's something that needed to be done, and hockey is a team sport, a team game, and every single one of these guys are on the same page and stand with each other."
"Those two days, we know they are not going to change everything right now, but the main point is we're all here and we're aware of what is going on and it has to stop," added Bellemare, a Black man from France. "It is the message that we're sending to our organizations, the NHL, that we want to work together to take a better step, different step and make sure this never happens again. The HDA has a plan, and it's up to us after the bubble, every player, the organizations, that we work together with our communities to make sure it gets better and better."

The Avalanche spent the days continuing conversations it was already having to try and learn more about systematic racism and discuss ways that the players can help as a team in Colorado and as individuals in their own hometowns.
"I think just the conversations that our team has had with our guys and as a group and sometimes in smaller groups, everyone is kind of trying to do the same thing. Some guys have a better understanding of what's been going on than others, and everyone else, including myself, we're just trying to educate ourselves and learn as much as we can, gather information and ultimately we have to try and find a way to help and make a difference," said head coach Jared Bednar. "I think that the education is where it all starts, and we have some real intelligent guys in our room that have been through a lot and that have real strong perspectives on things, and some guys that see things a little differently and some of the conversations that we have had have been great. I think that's all positive.
"I think that's what your trying to create not just within our hockey team, but with your families and within your communities. We got to try and make something actionable and do something where we can help within our communities, and that's got to be the next step. A lot of awareness now around our country, and now it's time for some change. I think our guys are wanting to try and figure out exactly what we can do to help and that's where we are at with it at this point. Some real good reflecting days here for us as individuals and as a team."

The players came to the decision to pause the playoffs as a way of continuing the dialogue about prolonged racism and finding ways to use their platform to influence positive change.
Although some people criticize athletes for linking societal issues and sports, these competitors are more than just talented hockey players.
"I look at our guys and they are much more than just hockey players… There's times when we are sitting here and trying to be the best people we can be, the best fathers and coaches and brothers and etcetera, and the game takes a back seat sometimes and I think that that's normal," said Bednar. "I think that people have to keep an open mind and sort of respect our players' decisions when it comes to something like this. Our guys want to play, they want to play more than anything, and they felt they got together and made an educated decision. Talked to all eight teams in the bubble and guys out of the bubble and made a decision not to play and I support it."
The Avs return to competing in postseason games on Sunday, but the conversations on racial injustice and what can be done to help society change for the better will continue both in and outside of Colorado's locker room and well beyond the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I think the main thing is that our postponement of games turns into discussions. It's not just words, I think a lot of people have spoken and said great things," MacKinnon said. "Talking to Nazem and Belly, we'd like to figure out a way to contact activists back in Denver. I've talked to my Black friends back home who are involved in the community, just trying to figure out things to help in a positive way. I am a White person, I don't know what people are going through and I'm not going to act like it. That's why you have to ask questions and learn and figure out how you can help impact back home."