NFL vs. NHL: Hockey doesn't even have, or need, national anthem policy
The Stanley Cup Final is set to begin on Monday, and a lot of questions are up in the air.
Will the tortured fans of the Washington Capitals finally see their team win it all?
Can the Vegas Golden Knights complete the single greatest inaugural season for an expansion team?
One question that will not need answering, however, is whether any of the NHL players will take a knee or otherwise protest during the national anthem.
As of this writing, not a single NHL player has taken a knee during the anthem, and only one player has protested in any way: Tampa Bay forward J.T. Brown, now in Anaheim, raised his fist before a game last October.
That’s obviously in stark contrast to the NFL, where swathes of players have protested the national anthem, much to the chagrin of many fans.
As you have likely heard, the NFL sparked all sorts of controversies with its new anthem policy. In short, players must stand for the national anthem if they are present on the field, but they have the option to stay in the locker room.
Curiously, the NFL’s new rule seems to have upset everyone. There are those who feel that the option to stay in the locker room is too much of a compromise and still disrespectful to the anthem, and there seem to be just as many people who believe the new rules are too restrictive and trample on players’ rights.
In other words, like most things Commissioner Roger Goodell has touched, the NFL’s new anthem policy has become an abject mess.
Goodell’s foibles look all that much worse when compared with the NBA and MLB. The NBA has always had restrictions on player behavior during the national anthem, and not a single NBA player has protested during the national anthem. MLB has rules in place similar to the NFL’s old rules and has effectively used self-policing to have only one player ever kneel during the anthem.
But the NHL? It has the least-restrictive national anthem policies across any of the “Big 4” sports leagues in North America.
The NHL rulebook makes no mention of specific national anthem policies. The only policy is that “The Star-Spangled Banner” (and/or “O Canada,” depending on the teams) must be played prior to the game. There is no mention of player expectations in terms of behavior, and no mention of any potential penalties or punishment for players who show disrespect for the flag or anthem.
So why this dichotomy between the NHL and NFL?
A big part of it lies with their respective commissioners.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has his fair share of detractors, and deservedly so. Most of the NHL’s hardships can be traced back directly to him. But at least Bettman has been clear on his players taking a political stance.
“Our players tend to focus on the games, which is what I think fans want,” Bettman said during a 2017 October interview with retired player Jim Fox. “There’s lots of places where you can exercise your commitment on either social or political causes, but I don’t think people come to games for that. … We haven’t had to issue an edict. Our players are basically doing what they believe is correct and that is giving our fans and giving their teams focus right on the game itself.”
For all of Bettman’s shortcomings, his statements regarding players and politics are refreshing.
“Before the game, after the game, on their off time we encourage them to be as socially active and involved as they’d like to be … and exercise their political choice,” Bettman said.
Compare that with Goodell, whose attempts to please everyone have effectively alienated everyone. His constant pursuit to both have his cake and eat it has not worked. When Goodell is trying to appease upset fans and upset players, he sends a muddled message about what fans and players want.
Bettman, for better or for worse, at least has the spine to suggest that players be socially vigilant off the ice. Goodell can’t even do that.
For those who want to reward the NHL for its handling of players and the national anthem, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will be broadcast Monday night on NBC.
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