This week, as the NHL agonizes over decisions to reopen or close the books on the 2019-20 season, two players decided to explore their misogynistic sides with a vulgar discussion on Instagram.
Washington Capitals forward Brendan Leipsic and Florida Panthers prospect Jack Rodewald were trading vulgar comments about girlfriends and wives of other players and generally flouting societal norms.
Leipsic claimed the group chat was hacked and images from the chat were shared across social media.
The NHL released a statement on Wednesday:
“The National Hockey League strongly condemns the misogynistic and reprehensible remarks made by players Brendan Leipsic and Jack Rodewald in a private group chat that has surfaced on social media. There is no place in our League for such statements, attitudes and behavior, no matter the forum. We will address this inexcusable conduct with the clubs and players involved.”
The Capitals released a statement of their own to news outlets and said they would deal with the issue internally.
Leipsic, 25, issued an apology on Twitter.
“Yesterday my friend’s Instagram account was hacked and an individual circulated images that are representative of private conversations I was a part of,” Leipsic wrote. “I fully recognize how inappropriate and offensive these comments are and sincerely apologize to everyone for my actions. I am committed to learning from this and becoming a better person by taking time to determine how to move forward in an accountable, meaningful way. I am truly sorry.”
Rodewald, 26, has iced in 10 games for the Ottawa Senators and this season was peddling his trade with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League, as a Panthers minor leaguer.
There is no value in a recitation of the names of wives and girlfriends of the players who were disparaged.
There is even less value in empty apologies citing “hacking” of accounts as if they are the aggrieved.
The players are old enough to know better and young enough to be a new generation that ought to have learned from events around them (e.g. Jeremy Roenick).
Their apologies ring hollow and their words fall to the ice like broken teeth in a scrum.
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