From Perrye + Gaby: Before we start, we want to acknowledge the recent events happening in hockey. Some days hockey feels like an inevitable cycle of scandals that continues to harm Black players and fans. As this incident with Panetta continues to unfold and hockey media builds its redemption narrative at lightning speed, we’re taking some time before adequately addressing the situation.
“Here Lies A Once Great Hockey Player. Won Something A Long Time Ago.”
What does it mean to have a legacy? In my most cynical moments, I would say that the entire concept in hockey is kind of… futile. Hockey, despite its prominence in Canada and certain parts of the USA, remains a small sport. With the rise of soccer in North America, the NHL always seems to be fighting for its spot as one of the major leagues. Its moments of widespread cultural relevance are far and few in between, and nobody exemplifies that more to me than Wayne Gretzky.
Time has not particularly been kind to Mr. Gretzky. Even though he’s been long considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, the moments when we hear his name outside of the hockey world seem almost nonexistent. When the Youth of Hockey Twitter aren’t spending time making fun of him (in the best way, I may add), his most significant cultural impact exists as a part of a Michael Scott scene in The Office. Although he’s spending this season on our TVs as an analyst on TNT, his name is reduced to a stat that will soon be surpassed by Ovechkin.
And that’s the difficulty of legacies in hockey. Even great players like Wayne Gretzky end up becoming a metric someone else will beat.
Sports in a capitalist society tell us that athletes, and by extension, their bodies, are commodities. Commodities that can be bought, traded, and exploited as needed. Commodities that as they age, and as their bodies start failing them or slowing down, become quickly expendable as we search for the next best thing. Though that may be the reality in all sports, in hockey, where conformity is the expectation, and where doing something as audacious as having a personality can be bad for your career, your legacy only really exists within the sport itself.
So what happens when you’re a great hockey player, but your legacy is tainted even within the hockey world?
Despite being one of the rare members of Hockey’s Triple Gold Club, we witnessed Captain Serious quickly become Captain Doesn’t Care.
In late October, we watched Kyle Beach come on camera and bravely talk about his abuse. A few hours later, we also watched Jonathan Toews destroy his reputation as one of the Nice Guys of Hockey. Like a true pupil of the Joe Rogan School of Cancel Culture, Toews went on camera and after offering some contrite thoughts, went off on a tangent about Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac. He didn’t understand why two “good” people, with significant amounts of privileges and who had systematically failed to do the right thing, could just “lose everything they care about and their livelihoods.” Aside from the fact that Stan Bowman was making almost $7 million a year and would most certainly be okay, Toews’ entire demeanor came off as petulant, punctuated by a look of someone who Really Didn’t Wanna Be There.
Fast forward to January, and Evander Kane was once again in the news - this time for having his contract terminated. The Oilers came up as a potential team for him to land in, and Connor McDavid was asked to give his opinion. Along with some scoffing, and a truly impressive amount of shrugs, McDavid went on to say that “Obviously, Evander is an amazing player and he’s had lots of success over the last couple of years. Whatever else is going on, it’s not something I look into much. I think Evander is a great player and can help us a lot on the ice and that’s first and foremost.”
For McDavid, Kane’s ability to play and help his team win was significantly more important than the multiple accusations of violence against women he has faced. As people began to discuss his comments, McDavid’s inaction when his colleague Ethan Bear faced racist abuse also came up. In December, Ethan gave an interview where he talked about how lonely it had felt to deal with it all and without much support. Looking back at it, it felt like McDavid had prioritized his postseason defeat instead of supporting his teammate as captain. In fact, Ethan released a video condemning the abuse, and teams around the league showed support before McDavid even bothered to release a very late and very lackluster statement hours later.
Much like Toews, they were both unable to see the larger, more important social issue at hand. Toews lacked consideration for Kyle Beach and for other survivors of sexual violence - especially those who experienced abuse within institutional settings. It diminished their experiences, and also justified the inaction of those who had the power to do something. There’s no such thing as a good guy who lets bad things happen. McDavid told us that nothing mattered as long as he and his team could get ahead. He told anyone watching that violence against women was something that could be easily dismissed in the “greater” scheme of things.
For two men, who’ve put winning and “glory” ahead of everything else, they’ve failed to realize that a lasting legacy in hockey is not guaranteed.
Toews will perpetually live in the shadow of Sidney Crosby and his Golden Goal, despite having the same number of Stanley Cups and Gold Medals. With Connor McDavid, there’s still time, but with two lost Olympics, and six years into his career without making it past the second round, he’s off to a rough start.
As we talk about them now, there will always be a little asterisk attached to their names *Great Players, Not So Great People.
For Toews and McDavid, two powerful men in the small sport they play, it would have cost them nothing to do the right thing. In hockey, where we are constantly being faced with its shortcomings to address issues like sexual violence and racism, they could have done their part to make the sport even a little better. Instead they chose not to.
So I guess the question to them is, what is your legacy gonna look like?
Anyway, Happy Birthday Wayne Gretzky.
Other Thoughts:
Congratulations to a fave of the newsletter, the one and only Josh Ho-Sang, who’s been named to Canada Olympic Men’s hockey roster. Lou Lamoriello, we’re coming after you.
It’s been two weeks since the interaction between Leon Draisaitl and Jim Matheson but that video is still making me laugh. I will concede that Draisaitl was indeed a little brattish but Jim Matheson returned the energy like an old man who’ll call the cops on you for being in your own front yard. Very unstoppable object meets an immovable force. It was hilariously unprofessional but also spoke to the deeply dysfunctional relationship between Hockey’s media and its athletes.
Y’all, I must confess, the Red Wings Propaganda is getting to me. I recently learned about Dylan Larkin’s Henrik Zetterberg Bench Story. Between this and their wunderkind rookies? The Narratives. They Hurt So Good.
Perrye and I had a discussion on how stinky locker rooms are and how players shower way too quickly before post-games interviews. What are the odds that they use a washcloth or lotion after? Maybe a question I don’t want an answer to.
Shit I’m Obsessed With This Week:
Cult Deprogramming: Okay, so this was an accident. I was trying to learn about how things like QAnon and certain online personalities get such a hold on so many people. I ended up watching a whole bunch of videos on cults instead. Did y’all know that back in the olden days of the 1970s the only way to get a cult member out required their loved ones to hire a service that would kidnap them and then interrogate them for hours on end? At some point someone was like, “uh guys maybe we shouldn’t do this” on account of the whole trauma of the kidnapping thing, so the methods changed. Unfortunately, the methods that exist today also can’t offer any guarantees of a member's return to society. Kinda depressing, but the research being done is really fascinating.
My Aerogarden! I started a hydroponic garden last winter because I got indignant every time I had to pay for herbs I grew in the summer, lol. It was time to start a new garden so I’m growing basil, thyme and parsley. Solid investment and would recommend it if you want a low maintenance hobby.
Frank Ocean: I decided to hurt my own feelings again and listen to channel ORANGE on repeat. I can’t believe how good Pink Matter is. Please imagine me drinking a cup of tea and staring out the window dramatically and forlorn.
JetPens.com: I am a Stationary Bitch. One of the True Great Pleasures of my life is ordering a new planner and pens. I have drawers full of washi tape and stickers and unfortunately have Opinions™ on fonts and the Perfect Ink Color. It’s the new year, so obviously, I have to place an order and nothing does it for me like jetpens. Makes my brain go brrrr.
I just wanted to say thank you for all the support and kind words you’ve been sending our way. I had to take an anxiety nap after we published the first one, hahaha.
With love,
Gaby