President Trump weighs in on silent protests across the NHL

In case you missed it this past weekend, Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba became the first NHLer to officially "take a knee" during the singing of the U.S. national anthem as a form of silent protest against racial injustice. Dumba made an impassioned speech before the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers dropped the puck for Game One of their qualifying series. The next evening Dumba raised a fist into the air while the anthem played prior to his team's game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Check it all out below:

Matt Dumba gives a speech and takes a knee during the US National Anthem before the games begin in the Edmonton Hub pic.twitter.com/1DvKAl2Q8Y
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) August 1, 2020

Matt Dumba goes fist up during the National Anthem pic.twitter.com/DCn4KPYnja
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) August 3, 2020

Yesterday, Dallas Stars forwards Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson, as well as Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner and forward Ryan Reaves elected to join Dumba in silent protest by taking a knee during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner prior to their Round Robin Series game.

Check it out:

Robin Lehner, Tyler Segiun, and Jason Dickinson kneel with Ryan Reaves for the US & Canadian national anthems. pic.twitter.com/b6pMYMPhf7
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) August 3, 2020

Regardless of your political beliefs or your thoughts on protesting, this act on behalf of Seguin, Dickinson, Lehner and Reaves sure has raised eyebrows across the sporting world. It even garnered the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump who took to Twitter to voice his displeasure.

Check it out:

People are not happy that players are not standing for our National Anthem!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2020

I mean... I think people are not happy because millions of them are out of work and over 150,000 people have died due to a horribly mismanaged pandemic, but I digress...

Certainly there are people though who are upset about the NHL's latest initiatives. To be perfectly honest, I get it. I too long for the day when sports and politics had nothing to do with one another. The only time I ever worried about right wing or left wing policy was when it came to running the powerplay. Now though, in 2020, politics are a daily part of life. It's never ending and exhausting.

On the other hand, these are important, worthwhile issues being brought to the forefront by players like Dumba, Seguin, Dickinson, Lehner and Reaves. If all I have to do is sit back, watch, listen and reflect well then who the Hell am I to complain? Would I rather politics stay out of my entertainment? Absolutely. But the world is changing and the least I can do is perk up my ears and listen to the change that people are trying to enact.