DENVER, CO - MAY 02: Evander Kane #9 of the San Jose Sharks skates prior to the game against the Colorado Avalanche in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on May 2, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Sharks 3-0. "n"n

Evander Kane calls for change in hockey culture after racist Instagram comment

7 years ago

Michael Martin / National Hockey League / Getty

San Jose Sharks winger Evander Kane took to social media Wednesday to bring attention to a racist comment on a recent Instagram post and to call for change surrounding the perception of black players in the NHL.

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This is what I’m talking about, happens all the time just never publicly talked about and just ignored. This exact thing was shouted at me in the penalty box in Denver during game 4. It’s racially motivated, IT IS a problem in society and in SPORTS. There is focus on racism in football, basketball and baseball. But in the Hockey world it’s easier to ignore, dismiss and forget because let’s face the facts hockey is a white sport. But there are black players in the league and other minorities in our sport. Time to notice it, and give it the attention it deserves. The old way of thinking is done!

A post shared by Evander Kane (@evander9kane) on Aug 28, 2019 at 3:57pm PDT

Kane claims the "stick to basketball" comment was also shouted at him during a game in Colorado this postseason. He believes hockey is lagging behind the other three major North American leagues in terms of its focus on racism.

He also discussed the issue in 2018, telling the Mercury News: "If you don't acknowledge (the racial element) to some degree, you're living in the shadows. It's and older mentality and something that (hockey) hasn't caught up to."

In 2013 while still a member of the Winnipeg Jets, Kane said he believed the criticism he was encountering on social media was race-related.

The 28-year-old is entering his 11th NHL season. He posted 30 goals and 26 assists across 75 games in his first full campaign with the Sharks in 2018-19.