San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward told the Mercury News on Tuesday that he may kneel during the national anthem prior to games this season.
The NHL has yet to have a player protest during the anthem or commit to doing so, but the 36-year-old Ward won't rule it out. The veteran winger explained that, as a black player in a predominantly white sport, he's dealt with plenty of racism over the years and isn't against taking a knee to help create a dialogue around the issue.
"It's definitely something I wouldn't cross out," Ward said when asked by the Mercury News whether he'd consider taking a knee during the national anthem at an upcoming Sharks game.
"I've experienced a lot of racism myself in hockey and on a day-to-day occurrence. I haven't really sat down to think about it too much yet, but I definitely wouldn't say no to it."
Ward is Canadian, but he's also a black person who lives in America and he doesn't believe his nationality would prevent him from using his platform to make a statement. Ward says he's dealt with racism on both sides of the border and a protest would just be about "standing up for what's right."
Ward, who wears No. 42 as a tribute to Jackie Robinson, sympathizes with the Black Lives Matter movement and the national anthem protests started by Colin Kaepernick in the NFL last season because he's been the subject of racial profiling by police throughout his life.
"I've dealt with it a lot," Ward said. "I've had a few things that have happened to me that you could say are not the norm. I've been singled out at different events. I've been pulled over. I've dealt with racism right to my face.
"It's just been part of life that you always have to deal with, so when people get into Kaepernick and some of these other guys, saying that they're disrespecting the flag, it's not about just that. It's about creating awareness about what people, like myself, go through on a day-to-day basis, whether it's going to the mall or whatever."
After discussing the possibility of a protest, Ward has already received support from his coach, Peter DeBoer, and general manager, Doug Wilson.
"I went to law school. I'm a big freedom of speech guy. Everyone has the right to message how they want to," DeBoer said.
"That's what makes our countries great, Canada and the U.S., is the freedom to able to express yourself if you feel like you've been wronged or there's an injustice."
Even so, the anthem protests have caused quite a stir in the sports world and led to polarizing reactions from players, fans and media alike. It's probably safe to assume that a demonstration from Ward (or other NHL) players would be met with some resistance. Not only is the league primarily white, but it also often seems to be less progressive than others.
During the World Cup of Hockey last year, Team USA coach John Tortorella told his players that if they sat for the national anthem, they would be benched for the entirety of the game. He didn't back off those comments, and many people around the sport praised him for it.
The culture of hockey often seems to discourage players from doing anything that attracts individual attention. Players who do are often criticized for being selfish, creating a distraction or deviating from a team-first, "one for all, all for one" attitude.
If Ward does indeed decide to take a knee this season, he'll likely face some of these criticisms, but he'll also utilize his platform to bring attention to an issue that has personally affected him (and likely many others) while also opening the door for social activism to have a more prominent place in hockey.
