The NHL is close to Phase 2 and will begin to hit the ice for small-group practices as they hope to return to play in the coming months.
But the return will be anything but normal.
Aside from the players and staff being restricted to how many people can be in the building at once due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thereare also country-wide protests in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara marched in a Brookline, Mass., protest and the team released a statement on the senseless deaths.
As for B’s head coach Bruce Cassidy, he knows exactly what he’s going to do in the fight to help end racism throughout the country. And it starts with voting and having difficult conversations.
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“I’m going to do a better job of talking about history and how difficult it’s been for the black community,” Cassidy told The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa and Joe McDonald on the “Perfection Pod.” “And how privileged we are, living in it.”
Cassidy admitted he normally doesn’t discuss controversy, but has realized his voice matters in making a difference.
“I understand it more now as a leader of men in Boston,” Cassidy said. “I’m one of the head coaches who’s in front of the media a lot. I’ve always been open-minded and honest with my answers. I’ve stayed away from controversy. I’m a kid who grew up in Canada. I’m here to coach a hockey team. I’ve brushed it off as not important. Now you’re reading about what’s going on all over with different people stepping up and making statements. Maybe my opinion is more valuable than I gave it credit for.
“I’m going to make sure I do my best job with my kids to educate them, so we’ve done our part,” he later added. “Hopefully the other part we realize is having uncomfortable conversations about racism, the black community and the suffering that’s been going on for years. Maybe you see something, hear something within your own family, colleagues, friends and neighbors that’s not acceptable. That’s what Julie and I have talked about. We’ve got to step up more.
“We can’t look the other way when we hear that stuff. Maybe there’s a brother-in-law that you have to start being proactive with. You start there. If more people take that approach, it becomes more acceptable. There’s more division and less unity than we’ve seen the last three, four years. I’d like to see us get that back and do my part.”
Well said, coach.
