Racism is alive and well in the NHL, or Avery would be suspended

On Monday, in response to Denis Gauthier's clean hit on Jeremy Roenick, which gave JR the 11th concussion of his career, Los Angeles Kings player Sean Avery lashed out.

Avery stated, "it was typical of most French players in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not backing anything up."

To date, the league has had no official response to Avery's comments: no suspension and no fine. Some commentators have apologized for Avery by saying that his comments are protected by the right to free speech, that he can pretty much say whatever he wants, and that if players are offended by the comments, they'll take care of it themselves.

The lack of response and sanction by the league hints at an inherent racism among NHL players, executives and management.

If you don't think Avery's comments deserve some sort of punishment by the league, what if he had targeted a group other than French Canadian players?

What if Avery had said, "it was typical of most black players in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not backing anything up."

What if Avery had said, "it was typical of most Jewish players in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not backing anything up."

You would bet that the NHL would have done something by now if Avery had spouted off and stereotyped one of these groups.

But he didn't.....he made a generalized and deragatory comment about French players, and he'd probably get away with a similar comment about European players (which many have done in the past, hello Don Cherry)because, apparently, this is OK.

And no one is raising a fuss about it. No one in the media, no one in the league, no one in the public. Stereotyping and making racist comments about Quebecois and European players has been condoned by the NHL for decades, and the league needs to wake up to this fact.

Andre Roy of the Pittsburgh Penguins got a two game suspension this week for making a throat slashing gesture at another player. Sean Avery got nothing for making an inflamatory and racist remark against a large group of NHL players.

Do you think the NHL has its priorities straight?

Comments

[Paul]

If you watch hockey to be lectured on sensitivity you're looking in the wrong place. Players should be able to say whatever they want to other players no matter how rude it may be, afterall that's how some of the greatest rivalries are born. If people get offended by such comments they need to suck it up or go to bed at 7:30 before HNIC starts. Lastly, I don't think it is accurate to call the French a "race."