NHL launches new initiative to ensure “our game is safe, inclusive and respectful”

The NHL has unveiled a new initiative today aimed at ensuring "our game is safe, inclusive and respectful, and that the NHL and its Clubs provide welcoming workplaces for all."

The league, headed up by Kim Davis, NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives and Legislative Affairs (say that three times fast), unveiled the initiative today to the media following its annual Board of Governors meeting in Florida.

“From amateurs to professionals, we are attempting to set expectations that hockey environments everywhere will be safe and inclusive and – regardless of position or power – each person will treat one another with respect,” Davis said to the assembled media in Florida. “In the spirit of the Declaration of Principles that we, the NHL Players’ Association and 15 other hockey organizations joined together on four years ago, we must continue to collectively advance positive changes in the sport.”

Davis also announced that the league is partnering with the Respect Group founded by former NHL Player Sheldon Kennedy. Together the NHL and the Respect Group will provide training to NHL front offices with regards to improving working conditions and professionalism in teams' management staff.

“The partnership with Respect Group is an extension of the League’s strategy to lift hockey culture by investing in learning, prevention, reporting and workforce development, placing a greater emphasis on accountability for organizations and leaders of this game,” Davis said.

Now... allow me to diverge a bit here from the league's narrative and offer up my own personal opinion. To me, this all sounds like a whole lotta nothing. I see buzzwords, I hear vague statements but I don't see anything concrete that will change things one iota. In the writing world we call this a 'word salad' and Davis and the NHL are doing their best politician impression by saying a whole lot without actually saying anything at all.

You know what would help? Actions. 

Enough words. Enough proclamations. Enough initiatives. Time to get to work and follow through with what you say.

And you can start by releasing the report that you initiated over two years ago when you investigated disgraced NHL coach Bill Peters. 

Or hey... how about you actually do something to support Kyle Beach and John Doe #2 in the ongoing Chicago Blackhawks sexual abuse scandal? How about you suspend players indefinitely for uttering racist remarks on the ice?

Words, thoughts and prayers are all fine and dandy when you have a presentation to give to the media, but we're beyond that now... it's time for concrete actions.