The language of hockey — for so long regarded and almost romanticized as colorful offensiveness — has changed some since Joel Quenneville was a player in the 1970s and 1980s. But there’s still a long way to go.
“Whether it’s the heat of the moment on the bench or in the locker room, it can get very intense,” Quenneville said. “A lot of times there’s not a speed bump at the end of the tongue, and there’s not a lot of thought that goes into what’s said. But there’s definitely been more awareness as we’ve progressed here over the years.”
The past 24 hours have been a watershed moment in that progression, as the NHL came down hard on Andrew Shaw — suspending him for Game 5 — for the homophobic slur he hurled at officials after taking a costly penalty late in a Game 4 loss to the St Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
Shaw looked like a humbled man on Wednesday afternoon, nothing like the fiery player who had a goal, two assists and a potentially decisive penalty in Game 4. His ever-present smirk was gone, the confident wise-cracker overcome by nerves and shame. Standing before a throng of reporters — his eyes cast down, his voice low, his hands fidgeting — Shaw offered what sounded like a heart-felt apology.
“I have no excuses for anything,” he said. “I want to apologize to the gay and lesbian community. That’s not the type of guy I am. I saw the video last night and I had a tough time sleeping. What’s gotten to me is I let my emotions get the better of me. I want to apologize to the organization, the NHL, my teammates, my family, and my friends.
“I’ll never use that word again, that’s for sure.”
Shaw also will pay a $5,000 fine for flashing his middle fingers at the officials on his way to the penalty box, and will be required to undergo sensitivity training.
“While Mr. Shaw was apologetic and remorseful for both the offensive comments and the inappropriate gesture directed at the on-ice officials, he must be held accountable for his actions,” said NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell in a statement. “The emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an NHL player.”
After taking the interference penalty that choked off the Hawks’ comeback attempt with 2:04 left in the third period of a one-goal game, Shaw gestured at the officials, then apparently shouted the slur at them, banging his stick on the glass to get their attention. It was particularly distressing in a sport that has been at the forefront of inclusion for the LGBT community.
The Hawks themselves earlier this month partnered with the You Can Play Project, an organization co-founded by the head of the NHL’s department of player safety, Patrick Burke, to support inclusion for the LGBT community in sports. Scott Darling and Niklas Hjalmarsson appeared in a video produced with You Can Play, which on Wednesday applauded the suspension as a step in the right direction.
“We are extremely disappointed in Andrew Shaw’s actions last night,” the Hawks said in a statement.
So was Shaw, who acknowledged that, “It’s a hurtful word. It’s 2016 now. It’s time that everyone is treated equally.”
Toews hoped that this could be both a “teachable moment” and a “tipping point” that could have a positive effect in the long run.
“We can all be a little more conscious of the impact that word might have, and know that it can be used loosely,” Toews said. “I think we’re all thinking about that much more than [we had] before. And we stand behind Shawzie and who he is as a person, and behind his apology, as well.”
Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com
Twitter: @marklazerus
