Weekly Links: Reaction to Voynov’s arrest for domestic violence; Ex-players’ lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League; Szabados and Raty play in men’s pro leagues; and more

Welcome to Hockey in Society’s Weekly Links post. This feature highlights articles or blog entries that are related to Hockey in Society’s areas of interest and that may be of interest to the site’s readers. Please check out some of the great writing that is happening in the hockey media and blogosphere!

  • After a gunman killed a Canadian reservist and attempted an attack on Parliament in Ottawa, the Pittsburgh Penguins played the Canadian anthem before their game against the Philadelphia Flyers as a show of respect. [Sportsnet]
  • The news that Slava Voynov of the Los Angeles Kings had been arrested for domestic violence has generated a huge amount of discussion and debate (currently charges are likely or will be dropped, depending on whether you listen to the DA or to his Voynov’s lawyer). Adam Proteau argues that the NHL should adopt a zero tolerance policy for domestic violence and ban players found guilty of this crime for life. [The Hockey News]
  • Meanwhile, writer stace_ofbase from Battle of California uses the Voynov case to discuss domestic violence more broadly and call for empathy for victims. [Battle of California]
  • NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is receiving kudos, and favourable comparisons to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of Ray Rice’s violent assault, for handling this situation swiftly and suspending Voynov indefinitely until a verdict is reached. I find it sad that this response even needs to be applauded rather than taken as granted, but given the pro sport world’s track record on domestic violence perhaps we need to start by pointing out when a league acts sensibly in response to a new incident. [Puck Daddy; Globe and Mail]
  • For those wondering about the moral quandary of cheering for athletes who do bad things off the ice/court/field, this scholarly roundtable discussion (written in light of the Ray Rice case) is fascinating reading. [The Allrounder]

  • In much more positive gender-related news, two women’s goaltenders are making headlines for playing in men’s professional leagues this season. Firstly, Canadian Shannon Szabados is returning to the Columbus Cottonmouths of the ECHL. Kyla Jae takes a look at the significance of Szabados for women’s hockey. [Confessions of a Female Hockey Fan]
  • Meanwhile, Jared Clinton has a piece on Noora Raty, who is playing in Finland’s second division this season. [The Hockey News]
  • Former players are suing the CHL for $180 million over lack of payment for their years of labour (please check out Vicky Grygar’s work here on Hockey in Society for great insight into labour issues in the CHL). Adam Proteau has a good article on this lawsuit in the larger context of amateur sport, particularly the NCAA. [The Hockey News]
  • Meanwhile, Neate Sager has a good overview of the CHL’s response to the lawsuit and some of the major issues in the case. [Buzzing the Net]
  • Steve Currier argues for much longer and tougher suspension for violent play in the NHL. [Society for International Hockey Research]
  • A good read about concussions in the NHL. [The McGill Daily]
  • William Douglas has a great response to ridiculous media claims that black people do not like hockey. The headline pretty much says it all: “Can we just stop the madness? Black people like hockey, we really do”. [The Color of Hockey]
  • The Chicago Blackhawks are running an initative to increase youth hockey participation, particularly amongst low-income residents and ethnic minorities who otherwise may have difficulty getting into the sport. [ESPN Chicago]
  • Remember Bruce Ratner, who schemed to seize land in order to construct the Barclays Center in Brooklyn? Well now, less than a year before the New York Islanders join the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and make the building home, Ratner is selling his majority stake in the arena. [The Score]
  • Meanwhile, as the Islanders spend their last season at the Nassau Coliseum, there is no shortage of nostalgia for the demise of the rink in which the team enjoyed its 1980s glory days. [Yahoo! Sports; Wall Street Journal]
  • The ECHL has expanded this season with the addition of seven teams from the now-defunct Central Hockey League – you can read about the new teams in depth here. [The Artful Puck]
  • Finally, Jordan Tootoo has released an autobiography, co-authored with Stephen Brunt, that presents a candid picture of his battles with alcohol addiction. You can read an excerpt here. [Puck Daddy]

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