Speaking to Manitoba’s junior hockey teams, Brock McGillis, one of the first professional hockey players to come out as gay, challenges players to share interests outside of the “four safe topics” of conversation: hockey , women, sports and music.
At the start of this year’s hockey season, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) hosted an LGBTQ Advocate presentation for each of its teams. It’s part of the league’s commitment to address criticism that traditional hockey culture hasn’t done enough to address racism, sexism and homophobia.
“Most of them are much more inclusive than previous generations at this age,” McGillis told CBC News.
“But their language and their behaviors don’t necessarily match, because in that environment they’re told, ‘This is how we’re supposed to act’.”
Across Canada, in arenas big and small, hockey players are chasing their hockey dreams in the NHL and at the college level, but they are doing so under a growing cloud of Hockey Canada amid calls to change the toxic culture. which some say makes elite players feel like they can get away with anything – on and off the ice.
The controversy began in May, when it emerged that Hockey Canada had settled a $3.5 million lawsuit alleging a 2018 group sexual assault involving players involved with Team Canada at the World Juniors. There have been widespread criticisms of its handling of assault claims and the use of special funds – partly made up of registration fees – to pay for legal settlements. New allegations have since come to light.
Hockey Canada was let go by its major sponsors, and its CEO and entire board pulled out. A new council will be elected on December 17.
But people CBC News has spoken to say that the whole hockey system needs to be overhauled as he often ignores the bad behavior of elite players from an early age. Over time, this can turn into a sense of entitlement and what some describe as toxic masculinity in hockey culture.
Last week, a Hockey Canada report found that there were 900 documented or alleged incidents of on-ice discrimination at all levels and age groups during the 2021-22 season.
Federal Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge said recently that a redesigned Hockey Canada “must develop not only exceptional athletes, but also good citizens who respect women, the public and the law.”
WATCH | Players in favor of change:
Hockey culture is under intense scrutiny following the Hockey Canada scandal. Karen Pauls speaks to junior layers and coaches about calls to change the sport.
“Not all hockey players are like that”
The scandal and its fallout are sensitive topics for junior players, most of whom would love to wear a Team Canada jersey in international competitions.
“A few of my friends played for Team Canada. Not all hockey players are like that,” said forward Davis Fry, 19, of the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons Junior A team.
“Yeah, there will always be bad people and their actions are obviously not good, but it sucks to be seen like that,” admitted team captain Dawson Milliken, 20.
“We’re not all bad individuals,” added assistant captain Travis Hensrud, 20.
“We’re young men trying to be good humans and just getting involved in the community. Oh, we’re hockey players. We like to have fun, but we also want to be young men.”
It’s not just about talking. The Pistons have pledged 1,500 hours of community service this season. This includes everything from playing pickleball with seniors, reading in schools, and helping out at the local food bank.
There are a lot of good things happening in the hockey community, said Paul Dyck, general manager and head coach of the Pistons.
“We want to develop their dreams on the ice, but our responsibility is that when they leave here, they are better people.”
Junior hockey is an important time in a young man’s development, he said, with some players still in high school and others away from home for the first time, living with foster families.
And while everyone will make mistakes, Dyck says they need to be held accountable and accept the consequences.
Dyck’s mantra is simple: respect.
“Respect each other in this room, first and foremost, and then our community members of different, you know, ages and genders and races,” he said.
Life skills, not just hockey skills
This concept is shared by junior teams across the country.
In British Columbia, players from the Coquitlam Express Junior A team helped with minor hockey practices. Team captain Ian Devlin, 20, said this type of volunteer work not only benefits the community, it makes him a better person by teaching him perspective.
“Being able to see the world through another person’s lens is really vital.”
WATCH | A Junior A player reflects on the Hockey Canada scandal:
Ian Devlin, captain of the Junior A Coquitlam Express hockey team, talks about the culture of his sport.
Devlin hesitated when asked how he thought junior players were perceived at the moment.
“It’s not a good image, so obviously it wouldn’t make you feel good about yourself,” he said, adding that every player has to look in the mirror and do the right thing.
Devlin said he thinks culture change needs to start early, when players start playing AA or AAA hockey, when they spend up to seven days a week on the ice, when peer pressure becomes a problem in the locker room.
He says coaches can’t turn a blind eye if their best players misbehave – they have to crack down and demonstrate that it’s not acceptable. And as players age, they need to be empowered to hold each other accountable, he said – something that can be difficult.
“Especially when it’s one of the older guys on the team who should know more, you know, that’s a time when you absolutely have to be able to hold them accountable,” he said.
“Fighting this bad culture”
There is a poster on the wall leading to the Coquitlam Express locker room about the team’s “championship values”. These include having character, being grateful, developing good habits, and being responsible.
“To be, you know, a good teammate, to be a good player, to be a good human being, you have to follow all of those things,” general manager Tali Campbell said.
Campbell grew up playing hockey and saw “bad things”. He declined to go into specifics, but said it had to do with respect and entitlement.
When he became the BC Junior Hockey League’s youngest general manager four years ago, at age 23, he knew he had a big responsibility: to make them better hockey players , give them the opportunity to obtain university scholarships and help them become good human beings.
“Slowly, over time, we are limiting this right. We are limiting this bad culture that unfortunately still exists in hockey,” he said.
Campbell acknowledges the seriousness of the 2018 World Juniors allegations and says they need to be addressed. Players, coaches and Hockey Canada all need to be held accountable for their actions, he said.
“Fingers should be pointed.”
But he doesn’t want his players unfairly painted with the same brush by people saying “every hockey player is a horrible person. Every one of them is a rapist. Every one of them is disrespectful to women.”
“It’s incredibly frustrating to hear,” Campbell said.
WATCH | Tali Campbell reflects on hockey culture, the good and the bad:
Tali Campbell, general manager of the Coquitlam Express, says her organization seeks to develop both better hockey players and better human beings.
“They have influence”
Back in the Pistons players’ lounge, Millken, Fry and Hensrud review excerpts from McGillis’ presentation. In one section, McGillis spoke about the damage caused by the uttering of homophobic slurs.
“Before you know it, it keeps spreading. Keep spreading, keep spreading. Your whole team starts using it, all your friends start using it, because you’re influencers,” said he told the players.
Junior hockey teams are present in communities across the country. They interact with each other, schoolchildren, seniors, fans and host families, he added.
“The reality is that our system has been put in place, that they have influence. And because of that influence, what they do matters,” he told CBC News.
The players seemed to get it, as they talked about holding each other accountable.
“It takes a lot of courage to get a guy to stand up, but when you do that your voice is loud and other people follow,” Hensrud said.
“It usually just takes one to talk and create a culture of, ‘Look, we’re not going to do this. This is not how our organization acts or how we act as individuals in our communities. “”
“Gamer. Introvert. Problem solver. Creator. Thinker. Lifelong food evangelist. Alcohol advocate.”