Kane Abruptly Leaves Hockey Diversity Alliance Due to Major Concerns
He was there from the start of the organization, but it appears Evander Kane of the Edmonton Oilers is not happy with the Hockey Diversity Alliance. Kane has announced he is stepping away from the HDA, and his role as co-head of the Alliance, stating he has some major concerns with where the group is headed.
In a lengthy statement, Kane said he still agrees with the goals of the HDA, but adds the group has become "combative", and "influenced by members with individual agendas."
When the group was formed in August of 2020, it said its goals were to tackle racism in the NHL, including increasing the number of Black executives within the league, mandatory anti-racism training for all league employees, and financial support for social justice initiatives. Members include Akim Aliu, Trevor Daley, Anthony DuClair, Matt Dumba, Nazem Kadri, Wayne Simmonds, and several other current and former NHLers. The group heavily criticized a decision by the NHL last week to launch an inclusion committee aimed at making hockey more welcoming to everyone. The Hockey Diversity Alliance essentially said it was confused by the decision as they were never asked to participate.
| POLL | ||
Does hockey need to be "more welcoming"? | ||
| Yes | 38 | 29.5 % |
| No | 80 | 62 % |
| Not sure | 11 | 8.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
