Sign in Subscribe
Front Page

Report: NHL playoff games may be postponed tonight

There is a “growing sense” that players favor suspending tonight’s games

Following tweets from members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance calling for the NHL to suspend tonight’s scheduled playoff games, Elliotte Friedman is reporting that players are being told to prepare for cancellations.

Darren Dreger is reporting that the NHLPA is conducting a call regarding “the growing sense players favour postponing tonight’s games”. Pierre LeBrun has also just reported that over 100 players in the bubble were on a call today with Evander Kane and Matt Dumba. Kane is a co-head of the Hockey Diversity Alliance and Dumba is on its executive committee. Former New York Ranger Anthony Duclair, now with the Ottawa Senators, is among the members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance calling for tonight’s games to be suspended.

Last night, players of the NBA, WNBA, MLB, and MLS boycotted playing scheduled games as a result of another act of police violence against a Black man. Jacob Blake was shot multiple times in the back by a police officer on Aug. 23 in Wisconsin. This latest act of police violence has sparked outrage and protests across the country, further highlighting racial injustice and systemic racism in this country.

While players and teams of other major sports leagues boycotted games, the NHL made a statement calling for an end to racism and encouraging fans to stand up for social justice before last night’s game between the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning, but chose to play on. The sports world took notice.

There are two playoff games on the NHL’s schedule tonight. At 7:00 p.m. ET, the Philadelphia Flyers are scheduled to play the New York Islanders; at 9:45 p.m. ET, the Vegas Golden Knights are scheduled to play the Vancouver Canucks.

UPDATE:

Eric Engels of Sportsnet is reporting that tonight’s and tomorrow’s scheduled games have been postponed. However, Dreger is reporting that only tonight’s games are being discussed for postponement. There are two playoff games on the docket for tomorrow — Game 4 of the Tampa Bay Lightning vs the Boston Bruins and Game 4 of the Dallas Stars vs the Colorado Avalanche.

UPDATE:

Per multiple sources, tonight’s games have been postponed. Furthermore, it appears that the decision to postpone the games came from the players, not the NHL itself.

UPDATE

Per the NHL’s Public Relations, both tonight’s and tomorrow’s games have been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Read next