NHL, Bruins Handle Racist Comments

African-American hockey players are few and far between. Accepted and well respected amongst players and coaches, it seems as if Boston Bruins fans feel differently. Following the Bruin's Game 7 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals, Twitter blew up with racist tweets from Boston fans.

Why you ask?

Because Joel Ward, a black player, buried the game winner. It was a sad day for the city of Boston. Hundreds of tweets we're immediately flooding the internet. Obviously, the Bruins made a statement.

"The Bruins are very disappointed by the racist comments that were made following the game last night. These classless, ignorant views are in no way a reflection of anyone associated with the Bruins organization."

It's a good move by the Bruins PR team to recognize the situation and distance themselves from it. Not a good look.

25 Games for Torres is Too Much

The NHL suspended Rafi Torres of the Pheonix Coyotes for 25 games after he leaped into the head of the Chicago Blackhawks  forward Marion Hossa. The blindside hit left Hossa on the ice for several minutes before he left for the hospital on a stretcher.

A lot of people have taken an issue with this hit saying the suspension way too much. I agree somewhat. The suspension should be around 15 games. Similar hits have happened in the playoffs with suspensions ranging from zero to three games. The problem with this hit is the fact that Torres was aiming to injure Hossa, and he was wildly successful. Open ice hits are a dangerous part of hockey. They become even more dangerous when players cut to the middle of the ice with their heads down.

But why are there players in the NHL who take pride in injuring other players? Why don't you take pride in scoring a goal or getting an assist? Instead, guys like Torres are skating around looking to end careers. Normal player's eyes light up when a puck lands on their stick in front of an open net. Torres' eyes light up when he sees a chance to seriously injure an opponent.

That's not ok.

NHL Handling Chippy Playoffs

Let me say this before I get started. Fighting has always been a part of hockey. Hockey is unlike any other sport, and that's the way it should be. The first round of the playoffs has been one of the chippiest in recent memory. The fighting and huge hits have escalated greatly. Emotions are raised in playoffs. Either you win or you're done for the season. Here is a clip of some of the chippy action from Game 3 of the Flyers vs. Penguins series.

Fighting is alright. Chippy play is alright. Those who are calling for the removal of fighting from hockey don't know what they're talking about. What does need to be removed the game? When players intentionally try to injure their opponents. The NHL suspended Aaron Asham, #45 in white, for his actions at the 6:43 mark in the video above. He was suspended for 4 games. Plays like that have no place in the game. The NHL has suspended 5 other players to date in the first round. Good job by the NHL so far.

NHL Playoff Advertisements

All fans of the NHL remember last year's epic commercials and youtube videos prior to and during playoffs. Last year's slogan was "History Will Be Made." These commercials were dramatic and filled with emotion. They often featured a team, a player, or a game. Here is an example of one from last year, featuring Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.

As you can see, it is a very powerful commercial. The drama leads all the way up to the final save made by Thomas. The music also helps.

In 2012, the NHL is using the slogan, "Because It's The Cup." This year, the NHL went with a more fan-based approach. I think the new approach is aimed more at the casual fans rather than the die hards. It shows young people putting their team's jersey on and heading to the bar. Here is the first one.

A good move, but not the NHL's best. I think if the commercial showed an on ice action clip, then the fans celebrating that play, it would be more effective. Still, an excellent commercial in my opinion.

Introduction

Hi, my name is Nick Therrien. I'm a student in Elizabeth Warfel's PRL 372 course at Utica College. I'm also a hockey player, so it was natural for me to choose the NHL as my organization to analyze. My blog will focus on how the NHL handles its strategic communication, public relations, and marketing tactics.