NFL
By: Zachary Draves
November is Native American Heritage Month. It is a time to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Indigenous people through awareness, education, and celebration. All of which is expressed in various capacities through art, field trips, food, dance, and other activities that are meant to understand and show solidarity.
For Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, whose wife Véronique is Native Canadian, he decided to don a custom made mask, designed by the artist Cole Redhorse Taylor, in honor of Native American Heritage Month during warmups before a game against the Colorado Avalanche last Friday.
(Courtesy: Photo via X/@RussoHockey)
A personalized act of solidarity that fit perfectly, because it just happened to be Native American Heritage Night.
(Courtesy: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports)
According to his agent Allan Walsh, Fleury was told by the NHL that he couldn’t wear the mask, because it violated league rules that were made during the offseason that banned the use of specialized helmets, jerseys, sticks, and decals for annual theme nights. The league said that if he were to wear the mask, not only would he be hit with a fine, but that the Wild organization would be subjected to an even heftier fine.
However, Fleury defied the league and wore the mask.
(Courtesy: Minnesota Wild)
The mask is now up for auction on the Minnesota Wild website and the proceeds will be donated to both the Wild foundation and the American Indian Family Center
So far, the NHL has not stated what steps they will take to penalize Fleury and the Wild. There is a possibility that due to a surge of negative response to the threats, the league went back on their word and just let the matter lie.
All of which goes to show that the whole idea of banning theme night gear was an absurd rule from the get go and Fleury proved that.
This all got started last season when a handful of players objected to wearing rainbow themed stick tape and warm up jerseys that coincided with their team’s annual pride nights to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, the league and its Commissioner Gary Bettman, went back on its “Hockey is For Everyone” mantra from 2017 and subsequently implemented a ban on theme night attire and accessories.
As far as one can tell, there was no outcry amongst players, coaches, executives, or fans prior to last season about any of this. It was just a simple, but profound way of trying to diversify and grow the game.
Fleury is the latest example of players starting to see through the ridiculousness.
Back in October, Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott was the first player to openly defy the policy by wearing rainbow tape on his stick during a game against the Anaheim Ducks. During this time, other players such as Edmonton Oilers MVP Connor McDavid, one of the leagues’ marquee names, expressed their opposition to the policy.
Shortly thereafter, the NHL officially rescinded its policy and once again allowed for the use of pride tape during warmups and practices.
Now the league attempted to go back on its word from just over a month ago in regards to Fleury and they got what was coming to them.
So the next question is what needs to happen from here on out?
The answer is that the NHL should live up to not just its own reversed ruling, but simply go back to what they stated back in 2017 that “Hockey is For Everyone”.
Theme nights, whatever they are about or who they are geared towards, are generally not controversial. They are frankly the easiest expression of the leagues’ original intent that the game is truly for all who want to enjoy it as a player, coach, or fan.
The idea that a goalie simply wanted to wear a mask to celebrate his wife and her people that was part of that games’ theme warrants penalization is just beyond the pale of absurdity.
It is long overdue for the NHL to make it clear one way or the other and stop wasting everyone’s time. Either “Hockey is For Everyone” or it isn’t.
Marc-Andre Fleury wore a mask, and in the process, he has unmasked inconsistency.
