What would be the reaction to gay players in the NHL? Fri, February 4, 2011
By CHRIS STEVENSON, QMI Agency
There will be a day, a historic day, when there will be an openly gay player in the National Hockey League.
A big part of that day will belong to Brendan Burke.
Fifteen months ago, the 20-year-old student-manager of the Miami University (Ohio) hockey team publicly declared his homosexuality, supported and embraced by his family, which includes dad Brian, the president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his team.
A year ago Saturday, after just a couple of months of living in a new world unburdened by his secret, Brendan Burke died in a car crash on a snowy highway in Indiana.
It's hard to imagine the courage it took for a 20-year-old kid in the macho world of hockey to go public with the secret, to be at the leading edge in declaring his sexuality in an unfriendly culture.
What would be the reaction amongst the league, players and fans to gay players in the NHL? Have your say in our forum.
I live in Southern California so watching games on tv that aren't the Kings or Ducks is hard the NHL Chanel plays games but the are bleckad out half the time or are always the same teams in the East or Original 6 (which gets boring to watch the same teams play) but it does seem to be getting bigger even down here.
Sam, 2012-10-07 09:41:17
Let them play girls hockey!
Pedro, 2011-10-05 14:18:03
I don't like the roughness of Hockey..
I just started watching Hockey again...Why do only certain players get penalties while others don't?
I haven't been able to watch Crosby play for months..but Victor Hedman
did not get a penalty and played to the end of the
Tampa Bay year.Is that fair?
Yvonne Arsenault, 2011-06-09 15:54:36
Jim Hickey and Yvonne a:
WHAT On EARTH are you two babbling on about?! Nothing to do with the question!
HGA, 2011-05-20 09:46:22
Good luck to the Lightnings...but it's too bad they have to win by knocking out the best player in the NHL to do so...Too much of that...
Yvonne a, 2011-05-02 09:07:26
The fallout here is manageable. The real problem is a power hungry and quite vile LITTLE MAN who more or less says..it's the way it is..take your sponsorship or fan support and leave us alone. It would have been so easy to say..As a league, we too are concerned and WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUE ASAP. iNSTEAD OF HEAD-ON CONFRONTATION. TYPICAL LITTLE ANGRY MAN..He sghould not be expected to FEEL THE GAME THE WAY WE DO..WE BEING THOSE WHO SKATED ON PONDS AS KIDS AND DREAMT OF THE NHL. PAY ATTENTION OWNERS OR LIVE WITH THE RESULTS..BE SEEN AS LISTENERS..
jim Hickey, 2011-03-18 10:29:40
Ahhhhh!!..Out of a sudden...Bettman's "instigator rule" is starting to make sense. :)
Keep your sticks on the ice boys!!
Mitch, 2011-03-06 20:36:21
To ThinkingMom:
What problems did the first black hockey players face, exactly?
Larry, 2011-03-03 07:22:46
This issue is becoming revolting and I'm tired of it. Why would anyone want to tell the world he is gay? I knoiw for certain that I would not want to be in a dressing room with him.
Larry, 2011-03-03 07:20:16
It's no big deal.
From The Cheap Seats, 2011-02-13 11:48:07
Sam, 2012-10-07 09:41:17
Pedro, 2011-10-05 14:18:03
I just started watching Hockey again...Why do only certain players get penalties while others don't?
I haven't been able to watch Crosby play for months..but Victor Hedman
did not get a penalty and played to the end of the
Tampa Bay year.Is that fair?
Yvonne Arsenault, 2011-06-09 15:54:36
WHAT On EARTH are you two babbling on about?! Nothing to do with the question!
HGA, 2011-05-20 09:46:22
Yvonne a, 2011-05-02 09:07:26
jim Hickey, 2011-03-18 10:29:40
Keep your sticks on the ice boys!!
Mitch, 2011-03-06 20:36:21
What problems did the first black hockey players face, exactly?
Larry, 2011-03-03 07:22:46
Larry, 2011-03-03 07:20:16
From The Cheap Seats, 2011-02-13 11:48:07