NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 30, 2020
The Sabres avoid arbitration with Victor Olofsson, the Stars name Rick Bowness as a full-time coach, former Panthers GM Dale Tallon cleared of wrongdoing, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.
WGR 550: The Buffalo Sabres avoided salary arbitration with Victor Olofsson by reaching an agreement on a two-year, $6.1 million contract.
Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Olofsson had an impressive first full NHL season, scoring 20 goals and 42 points in 54 games to become a finalist for the 2019-20 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. This is a reasonable raise for the 25-year-old winger, who becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights in 2022.
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars removed the interim tag from head coach Rick Bowness’ job title as he signed a two-year contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: No surprise. Bowness took over behind the bench on Dec. 10 and guided the Stars to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The NHL has cleared former Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon of wrongdoing following an investigation into whether he used racially-charged language during the club’s time in the Toronto playoff bubble.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tallon was reportedly being considered for an advisory role with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This could clear the way for his new job but is being greeted with criticism by some observers.
ARIZONA SPORTS: The Coyotes are renouncing the rights of 2020 fourth-round pick, Mitchell Miller, after reports emerged of his bullying and racially taunting an African-American classmate with developmental issues four years ago.
THE DENVER POST: Former Colorado Avalanche winger Colin Wilson discussed his struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as drug and alcohol abuse, in The Players’ Tribune on Thursday. The 31-year-old center also indicated hip injuries may have brought his NHL career to a close. He’s now sober, receiving therapy and back in New England preparing for the next step in his life.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson spent 11 seasons in the NHL with the Nashville Predators and the Avalanche, tallying 113 goals and 286 points in 632 games. Best wishes to him in his future endeavors.
THE NEWS & OBSERVER: Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has an option to sell the club back to former owner Peter Karmanos. While the coronavirus is affecting the NHL’s economics, Dundon doesn’t believe it will affect his ownership of the club. “I don’t have any intention of not owning the team,” he said.
TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning officially announced the signings of Patrick Maroon and Luke Schenn. The pair signed new contracts with the Lightning on Oct. 9.
NBC SPORTS CHICAGO: The Blackhawks have loaned center Kirby Dach to Team Canada’s roster for the 2021 World Junior Championships.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A wise decision by the Blackhawks. This will allow Dach to get in some meaningful playing time under a quarantine bubble in Edmonton as he and the Hawks await the start of the 2020-21 season.
WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets signed restricted free agent defenseman Sami Niku to a two-year contract worth an annual average value of $725K.
NORTHJERSEY.COM: The New Jersey Devils signed defenseman Colton White to a one-year, two-way contract.
TVA SPORTS: The Montreal Canadiens have been refused access to their practice facility in Brossard by public health officials. The facility is within a COVID-19 red zone.
SPORTSNET: Travis Roy, who was left paralyzed in his first college hockey game with Boston University in 1995, has died at age 45. He went on to become an advocate for spinal cord injury survivors both in and outside the sports world, raising over $9 million through the Travis Roy Foundation. He also worked in tandem with the Boston Bruins, with team president Cam Neely and former Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque among those extending condolences.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: My sympathies to Roy’s family, friends, and former teammates. Neely put it best when he called him “the ultimate symbol of determination and courage.”
I find it amazing that Mitchell Miller has effectively had his career ended by some bad decisions he made when he was 14 the same week that Antonio Brown is, somehow, given yet another chance to redeem himself.
Clearly, what Miller did as a child was awful, but does he really need to forfeit the rest of his life over it?
Where do we draw the line for what is deemed worthy of “cancellation” and what is not?
Initially they indicated a willingness to work with Miller, but a week later have renounced his rights. I have to believe they found other incidents or an unwillingness on his part to learn from past mistakes and change his ways, for them to give up on him.
I don’t think there were any additional revelations. I think the media pressure was too much so they caved and cut their losses.
Well, if some other organization is willing to deal with media pressure, he is available as a free agent.
I just don’t see it happening. I think the media has effectively decided that this young man is not allowed to have a professional hockey career.
The media hasn’t decided anything. The Phoenix Coyotes have.
If the kid hires some PR firm, makes a public apologie to the other guy, does some course etc etc and does well on the college rinks he will get his chances.
Coyotes just such a mess they need to wash hands of any more bad PR themselves.
I’m not sure what “the media” have to do with this at all. It all comes down to money. Public perception effects the bottom line. Arizona decided that it was less financially prudent to keep the guy. So ultimately it was the fans who drove this decision… or front office concerns about fan backlash.
Solid point. Would any team risk the bad public perception if Slava Voynov’s NHL suspension is ever lifted?
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/slava-voynov-suspension-nhl-bettman-1.5090912
“Public perception effects the bottom line.”
And who is driving public perception at this point?
Depends on how much they think he would help them win and drive merch sales George. Does that tip the seesaw in that direction.
I’d lean towards no. Not at his age.
The public drives it. The people are responsible for where they get their info and what to do with it. Blame the media essentially takes personal responsibility away from people. I don’t think Arizona is worried “the media” is going to stop buying tickets. They are worried about people not buying tickets.
I wondered that as well, DoubleMinor, until I heard from the family that Miller never apologized to the boy he bullied.
If Miller didn’t think an apology was necessary for what has been reported as several years of bullying then it is hard to argue he is remorseful. Without remorse change is unlikely.
I’m sure you read that somewhere, but it is actually untrue. He did write an apology letter to that family. It was court-mandated but that does not mean it wasn’t genuine. If other things I have heard are true, he also had a restraining order and therefore could not legally apologize in any other way.
“Miller sent a letter to all 31 NHL teams acknowledging what happened and apologizing for his behavior. Meyer-Crothers’s mother, Joni, said Miller never personally apologized to Isaiah or their family other than a court-mandated letter.”
https://nypost.com/2020/10/29/coyotes-renounce-rights-to-mitchell-miller-for-racist-bullying/
UND just kicked Miller out of their hockey program.
In my opinion DM, this is a distinction without a difference. What apology is sincere and meaningful if it is required, and not personal? I ask that rhetorically.
Then my mandating the letter, the courts put the kid in an impossible situation.
Double Minor you are 100% correct.
For those who said the media didn’t have anything to do with it…. well in short you are wrong.
This 18yr old kid was drafted by Arizona who knew of his pass aggressions.
Thing some clown in the media decided to go after him, first a storey of his action, follow by another storey where had the teams didn’t have Miller on their draft roster, follow by some team executive gasp when Arizona drafted the kid.
Arizona team executive are cowards, they gave into the media and the pressure that came with the media stories.
For whatever reason the media set out to destroy an 18yr old kid for actions reported 4yrs prior, even if it was 2yr prior.
The media and the populates attitude to seek and destroy in today’s society is absolutely disgusting.
For Miller, make a public apology, im not that person at that age i wasn’t mature enough to the right decision and didn’t understand my actions had a negative and long lasting effect for that im truly sorry.
I dont get people now a days, they don’t want people to better themselves or change, they and yes I include the media just want to seek and destroy.
Let’s assume that I am in a hiring position, and have a choice between 2 people that are generally equivalent work-wise. If the choice is between someone who has done “bad stuff” and someone who hasn’t, why would I ever choose the person that has done ‘bad stuff’?
If that’s equated with ‘cancelling’, so be it.
This is a bit of false equivalency. This kid was already drafted. The “hiring manager” had the opportunity to draft hundreds of other kids but didn’t. They then released him due to media pressure.
There are plenty of NHL players who have done “bad stuff.” Auston Watson, Evander Kane, Auston Matthews, Dany Heatley come to mind and they all had transgressions as adults.
Why do this kids transgressions (as a child no less) warrant what will essentially amount to a ban from professional hockey?
It’s a fair point, Double. My argument centers on more on the fact that he shouldn’t have been drafted in the first place.
But once drafted, then what? You seem to blame the media. I’m not sure I agree. At some point it’s up to the management to have the courage of their choices and stand up to the scrutiny.
There seems to be little doubt they caved, but where you blame the media, I blame the management. Nevertheless, the net result is the same.
And not a lot of chatter about the fact that ARZ essentially just wasted a 4th rounder. On top of the fact that they have only a few picks anyway. That team’s management continues to make awful decision after awful decision. I feel for their fanbase.
The reason Matthews, Kane, Heatley got second chances is they were better players.
The media roasted Matthews, repeatedly.
Kane on destroyed on these very pages as being a me first, immature A-hole.
These guys can play.
Miller is a 4th RD pick and a long shot to make the NHL.
If he plays well enough and keeps his nose clean a team will either draft him next year or sign as a FA.
He deserves a 2nd chance, he just needs to earn it first.
Yessir ray. Those players were still a draw based on talent and merch sales. So despite “the media” running stories about them they still stayed put. So maybe “the media” isn’t really the reason behind why some lose their jobs or don’t.
Ray, he doesn’t deserve a second chance, he deserves a first chance. He’s spent the last four years earning that first chance at a pro hockey career.
To those saying that he should go play in the KHL. Since when do 14 year olds who make a mistake face deportation in order to pursue their dreams?
Some media outlets are reporting that he has never apologized but that is not true. Quote from the NY Post “Miller sent a letter to all 31 NHL teams acknowledging what happened and apologizing for his behavior. Meyer-Crothers’s mother, Joni, said Miller never personally apologized to Isaiah or their family other than a court-mandated letter.” Court mandated or not, that letter was an apology. I haven’t seen it verified, but I’ve also heard the family had a restraining order against him…how would he “personally apologize” outside of the letter without facing additional discipline?
Ray it’s a different time and these were established players but agree 1st round pick would be treated differently.
Chrism, without the stories this is a non issue.
Caper. There were stories for the players mentioned above. Yet different results. Tells me that “the media” isn’t the driver of the results of the situation.
I actually generally agree that this was a foolish move by Arizona. I just won’t point the finger at the media.
Miller is keeping his scholarship at UND and can continue his education.
The other kid involved in the bullying has apologized directly to Meyer-Crothers. Miller has not.
The judge in the case stated that Miller was more concerned with the damage to his reputation than he was for what he did to Meyer-Crothers.
I don’t know Miller, but he was just 14 and deserves a chance to earn his way back. Sounds like he will get it at UND. Hopefully he accepts the help.
Having said that, the kid that was a bully growing up and picked on those weaker than him, was still an A-hole last time I ran into him back home.
We will see I guess.
As to the Tallon matter, “some observers” apparently means Jesse Spector of Deadspin, who truly gives this website a bad name. His linked column is filled with nothing but ax grinding and complaining and, of course, absolutely no evidence.
I noticed the same thing, Howard. Jesse Spector’s column was a long sarcastic complaint about the NHL but he cited zero information that pointed to Talon being guilty of anything. A hatchet job by a hack.
The Coyotes prove once again how gutless they are … no wonder they are so pathetic.
I think it’s important to take the time if you’re invested enough to comment to know as much as you can. I too thought how dumb of the Yotes to kick out this guy…I mean we are talking about a douche bag twelve year old’s action. I hope people could have a bit of reason and leniency in forgiving such actions because after all I’m sure we all done things were not proud of but we hope to learn and be better for it… we are all human and deserve a second chance and hope the experience changes us for the better…However, I recently read the open letter from the mom and read stories hearing how he continued to bully (for lack of better word) the kid two years after he was punished so in my book, lesson not learned and the Yotes who looked into all this themselves made the right call to dump the kid. You don’t need a person who can’t learn after he’s been told what he did is wrong and expect him to somehow not let that affect anything else.
Double minor is 100% right on the money. I hope he gets a fair chance at a pro career and if he does it is likely to last longer than Arizona’s totally inept and league image staining NHL team.
If he has got a high skill level then he should consider KHL or SHL to develop his skills and mature mentally, it’s going to be hard for him to develop in North America right now.
Any word from the league on the Miller situation? I’d be interested to know Gary Bettman’s opinion.
I need to go on an old guy rant.
Sorry in advance.
The “media” this.
The “media” that.
Drives me crazy when I see that.
I keep saying this – Today the media is whoever/whatever you want it to be.
When you say that who are you talking about?
If you want bias on the right, it is there. Fox is the most watched cable news network in america. All day every day.
If you want bias on the left, MSNBC is there for you 24 hours a day. 7 days a week.
Twitter isn’t reality. The noise drives the clicks and the followers. It does not reflect true public opinion.
Facebook is worse as they set their algorithms to drive your clicks. They know you better than your spouse or your friends. And it isn’t even close. You are being manipulated. You are the product. The most effective is anger. Works like a damn. Facebook should stick to helping people creep on their high school friends. They spread lies, drive anger and get rich doing it.
Hence, emotion drives the discussion today instead of reason. It has infected our politics and discussions about any complicated subject. Everybody gets angry and talks past each other.
We have more information than ever in history, and we are more ignorant than any time other time in my life.
If you want quality information, and multiple viewpoints. Subscribe to your local paper. They need your help or they will be gone. There are excellent journalistic institutions that still follow the process. They don’t publish news they can’t back up with facts.
Subscribe to one, or they will be gone too.
Don’t blame the media, blame yourself.
It’s your choice.
Did some reporters go after this kid. Yep.
Are some reporters defending his right to a 2nd chance. Yep. I hear way more of these where I live.
I agree with the latter and it seems obvious to me.
And in reality he is playing hockey for a high end NCAA team, (maybe even on a scholarship?) and if he is good enough, and shows he isn’t the same ignorant prick who picks on handicapped kids, he will get a shot at the NHL.
Wow. Preach brother.
Actually I dont think he will ever get a fair shake. If that sorry excuse for a franchise ARI had been competent they would have investigated and either not drafted him or drafted him and stood by him. They did neither by drafting and renouncing basically making him toxic. His only chance would have been the Raiders if he was a football player. Shameful on ARI and also NHL if they don’t hit them with further penalties. Bush league.
Ray everything you said can be summed up in two words and applies to everyone….willful ignorance. Its not an insult, it’s an exact condition of public perception of facts.
Why is media to blame?
Media didn’t do the bullying.
Media didn’t make the bullying a regular event.
Media exposed a regular pattern of bullying that culminated in one “event” for which the bully got 25 hours of community service.
Media bashing has become so commonplace after years of fake news mantra repeated ad nauseum. people lose sight of what is important, the actual event not the exposure.
Arizona shouldn’t have drafted this guy in the first place, it wasn’t for his talent. It was a PR stunt gone bad and they deserve the negative fallout.
Re Arz and nixing Miller
I certainly don’t know the full process or rationalization they had with picking him then jettisoning him… I can only speculate
He apparently informed all teams of his past; so unless Arz missed the memo… they chose him knowing his past and I would then speculate that they then believed that he had either completely turned the corner or was well under way; and they truly believed (per their statements) that they could work with him wrt to his future
Media got hold and put pressure on Arz
It was reported that the family of the taunted lad had said that Miller had never acknowledge wrong doing; nor had apologized to them or the boy
Here is my speculation…. one or more of these happened along with the media pressure that caused Arz to wipe their hands of the situation:
Arz deemed that information (never owning up or apologizing) as unacceptable; AND/OR
asked him (Miller) to reach out and apologize now; and he refused to do so… again unacceptable; AND/OR
Arz did some further checks and found other unacceptable behaviour (less likely as you would figure the media would have found out and reported it)
No matter what… he won’t ever play for Arz
No matter what… he wasn’t going to play in the NHL in 20/21
He’s just come out of the draft…. he has a chance to prove himself … personally and talent-wise over the next year or two where another NHL team may then consider signing him
His career as at right now, as a potential NHLer, is definitely on hold; and he MAY never come back….. but the door is not closed ….he’s still only 18 (19 in late Dec)…. let’s see how he matures with UND and how he handles himself personally going forward
Fcl you certainly have alot of assumptions.
Your key point is 14yrs old!!!
A a bad kid. Doesn’t deserve to be branded for life. Get Real!
The UND just dropped the kid from their program.
Everyone can sleep better now, that they effectively set out to destroy a minor.
Give yourself a pat on the back.
Hey kid in kindergarten be careful of your actions today because you live in an unforgiving society, who will want their pound of blood, not now but down the road.
Thought I would paste this.
Understanding the Teen Brain
It doesn’t matter how smart teens are or how well they scored on the SAT or ACT. Good judgment isn’t something they can excel in, at least not yet.
The rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so.
In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional part.
In teen’s brains, the connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision-making center are still developing—and not always at the same rate. That’s why when teens have overwhelming emotional input, they can’t explain later what they were thinking. They weren’t thinking as much as they were feeling.
Caper, not making any assumptions about any specific person on here. Are you saying it isn’t true that people on all parts of the political spectrum complain about free speech while also arguing that people they don’t agree with shouldn’t be saying what they’re saying? This incident happened, it’s public record because where it happened means it can be a public record even though it involves minors, and media as well as regular people with a variety of opinions are discussing it. The Coyotes had a PR issue, and don’t kid yourself it’s anything other than a PR issue to them, and decided it was in their best interest to cut bait on a 4th round draft pick. 30 other teams in the league took a look at the situation and decided they didn’t want any part of this for a marginal draftee. That’s all it is, a kid who did something terrible and rightly or wrongly is suffering devastating consequences now because of it. I personally don’t think a 14 year old kid didn’t know better, my 7 year old kid knows better, but it is what it is. I also think if it had been Austin Matthews or McDavid that did this they wouldn’t have been cut, I also think if it had been a 4th round pick 10 years ago they wouldn’t have been cut. Should have been more consequences than there would have been in those cases, arguably should have been less consequences in this case but that’s how society works. What is socially acceptable swings too far from one side to the other and hopefully at some point society changes for the better. We;re obviously in a very divided time right now and what is acceptable and what the consequences are for what is considered unacceptable have been and still are changing. Some people think things have gone too far, some people think things haven’t gone far enough and the truth is likely somewhere in between those positions. I never even said if I thought he should have been cut, I’m not involved in the situation and don’t know anyone involved so don’t claim to know the answer. What I do know is it’s public record, and it’s fair for the big bad media to report on it any way they want, some outlets want him to be cut, some don’t and both have a right to publish their take on it. From the point of view of the Coyotes they can only lose in this situation, the guy would likely have never been an important player for their team anyway so from a business and PR perspective it makes sense to give up their rights to the player, say they looked into it and didn’t like what they found and move on. Are you saying that’s incorrect if you take an emotional response out of the situation? Can you look at the situation rationally and say that the Coyotes would be better off if they’d stuck with him? Or do you think they’d be better off if they hadn’t picked him at all? I think they’d be better off if they’d never picked him, and as prooff I can say that there are 30 teams in the league unaffected by the situation because they knew enough to steer clear of it for a player that will have no impact in the league unless he turned out to be one of the very few elite players drafted that deep into a draft. Everyone’s getting bent out of shape over a player that would not have had their name mentioned anywhere if he hadn’t committed this crime when he was 14 years old. It’s a tough old world, tough for the kid that he did this to and now tough for him as well. In normal circumstances I think people deserve a second chance and other than extreme circumstances people shouldn’t be judged entirely on the worst thing they did, or judged entirely on the best thing they ever did. But this is a high profile thing and the team has to protect it’s reputation, whether you or I think it’s right or wrong. Whether or not he is actually remorseful I would think he will ive the rest of his life feeling that he lost out on his dream because of something he did when he was a kid and I honestly do think that’s a shame, not sure why you’re making assumptions about me based on what I posted when I don’t actually think I really made a personal argument about what should have been done, just logically why I think the team did it and that at 14 he should have known better than to do what he did.
Hi Caper
Not sure what Fcl is…. nearing 60… so out of touch..LOL
Didn’t know that the Uni had ditched him. Thanks for the update
Yep loads of assumptions… didn’t want to come across as if I knew what had happened… as I said… just speculating from limited info I had
The only thing that seems clear is he won’t ever play for Coyotes and as you’ve now conveyed… or UND
Other Uni’s , or AHL or NHL or overseas down the road … TBD
I’ve no judgement on this as that would need me to know a load more of the details
Again… was only speculating what process may have transpired with the ‘Yotes
Hi Caper
Now I see fcl
Thought you were replying to me; now I see fcl is a poster her
See … hearing 60… I am out of touch… LOL
…. and I just finalized a fair sized acquisition earlier today…. maybe I should double read the fine print 🤯
Fcl. Are you striker? Hs.
The same people who complain about the media cancelling people are the same people who complain about pc culture and how everyone has freedom of speech, well freedom of speech works both ways, anyone who wants to say this guy shouldn’t be drafted is free to do so, the Coyotes had a PR problem of their own making and dealt with it the way they felt could help them out the best, they aren’t a charity and a 4th round draft pick with marginal chances of making the league isn’t worth it. Also sure people deserve a second chance, but when it’s something high profile like this it’s probably not going to happen when it will cost the team. Also the same peple on here saying a 14 year old kid shouldn’t be held responsible are likely the same people who would argue that the youth criminal system is too lenient on kids who commit crimes. One further point, if a 14 year old kid doesn’t understand that wiping a lollipop around a urinal and making a kid with developmental disabilities eat it is wrong, a 14 year old kid who thinks it’s ok to beat the crap out of a developmentally disabled kid, with his friends by the way, not even 1 on 1 is probably someone not worth risking your organizations reputation on a few years later.
Miller is in the driver seat if he wants to be. One on one sensitivity counselling? Not from what I have been able to read. Some sort of group anti-discrimination/racism work? Not from what I read. Anything more than the court ordered remedial work? Not from what I read. Serious likelihood that Miller has evolved? Not from what I read. (And I have not read everything so maybe other facts are coming to light that prove otherwise.)
So what is the media to be blamed for? Questioning his behavoiur and portraying his deeds and his punishment in full context … which makes it all look a lot worse than how Miller and whoever is guiding him situated it.
Exposing things and showing the other side. Kind of what journalism and news has been claiming is its objective and purpose since its inception.
And, on the question of character, seems to me if Miller really had any, or regretted what he did, he could have stepped up and addressed it. Anti-bullying, BLM and a ton of other initiatives weren’t invented yesterday.
And yet he still has an opportunity to white-wash this whole issue. He’s just going to have to go though the motions. I’ll reserve my sympathy for others and my judgement of Miller until he responds to all of this.
If the media was fair, none of us would know about this issue. The issue and his name should only have been known by the involved parties, the families and the authorities. He was a minor so I dont think it should be reported on.
What I take out of this is a young man unacceptably bullied, another young man with a damaged if not ruined future, a media that has no journalistic character, and a HDA that is vengeful and are bullying the league, the NHL and one of it’s franchises in the name of tolerance and inclusion. 4 wrongs dont make a right.
Ruined his future, why don’t you stretch it a little further. Why is the kid future ruined?
The media and mob mentality wanted a pound of flesh and seek to destroy.
News was once reported without view points, now its all about click bait, shock and opionated views.
I will keep asking this: who is this generic “media” we keep hearing about? If you have a criticism with a media company, tell us who it is instead of making statements about an entire industry.
Here is a link about this story. Tell me what is not factual, or what is sensationalizing the story. Or somehow part of a mob? Are they taking a side? Do they even have an opinion?
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/29/sports/hockey/coyotes-renounce-rights-to-mitchell-miller.html?searchResultPosition=1
Or this one from a sports media site.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/mitchell-miller-no-longer-part-university-north-dakota-hockey-team/
Or this one from the hated CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/29/us/coyotes-mitchell-miller-trnd/index.html
I don’t see anything other than a simple report on the story.
Is the media the mob or is the mob attacking the media?
Caper, you mean back when there were no opinions like when the Ottawa Sun reported that Ray Emery drove his snowmobile to practice as proof of his bad attitude, which he did get a lot of public flak for. Of course it turned out later that almost half the team drove snowmobiles to practice, but the good old media only reported the facts. These good old days of the media are a figment of the imagination, has never been true and will never be true because the news is written by peole. Anyone who thinks life was better in the good old days was on the good side of things in the good old days.
I disagree with you fcl, the media has changed. Big time.
Maybe you aren’t going back as far as I do.
The entire business model has changed. The large majority of Americans (and I assume Canadians) consume their news through social media. Now clicks drive revenue not subscriptions. You need attention grabbing headlines not the substance of what you publish.
There are fewer local papers and fewer reporters. Investigative journalism doesn’t make money and is expensive. The evening news was a lost leader and considered a public service by the networks.
There is still some great work being done, but it is struggling and a certain politician discredits it to serve his own interest.
Section 230 gives social media companies immunity from legal action when something false is published on their sites.
You can sue NBC, or CNN or any of those if they lie about you and cause you harm.
My guess is the story on Miller got attention and spread on Twitter or Facebook.
Keyboard warriors went after the Coyotes and UND. These are people pushing these teams, not the media. The loudest get the attention.
Do they deserve some flack, I dunno, maybe.
If they were honest about trying to help this kid change (and he was too) and be an example of that change, they should have stuck to their guns.
Maybe their is more that we don’t know and he is still a dick wad. I don’t know.
I hope he has/is changed and has a good life and gets a shot to play.
Media reports on things that are public record, if it should have been confidential that is the government’s mandate, not the media. All media works on the basis that they ahve freedom of the press and can publish whatever they think is in the public interest, which o obviously this is since I’ve read like 50 comments a day on here since it came out. If you want media to be censored in cases like this that’s fine, I personally have no issue with minors not having their names printed in criminal cases with exceptions of when there’s a risk to the public like in Ontario, young offenders who are considered dangerous and the police can’t find them are reported and I think that’s the only exception, but you can’t expect the news media to play by some non-existent rules just because you think they should.
Listen to the old print writers. They never reported on a players personal affairs uf it didn’t directly relate to them as a player. They had integrity and class.
No one respects the media anymore because they can’t police themselves for integrity. Your comment is sad because it supports holding media to the lowest common denominator of if it is not illegal go for it who cares the consequences.
I would like to think the sverage person/organization is better than that. I guess I am wrong at least as it relates to the media and the recently formed and already tainted HDA.
No, I believe in freedom of the press. Racism and bullying are issues in general, and in minor hockey in particular, and this is directly relevant. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it isn’t of public interest. That is basing things on feelings and not facts.
Without a free press we wouldn’t have a democracy or a free country.
Well I guess I can’t reason with those who don’t believe in discretion and forgiveness.
I feel sorry for the poor victims, both of them, one unconditionally, and the other one who brought it on himself but was a minor at the time and is being treated like he should be dropped in a pond in Salem to see if he floats.
He went in the 4th round when all teams knew about the issues. If his behaviour had been more average he may have been a 2nd or 3rd round pick.
He is obviously a talented athlete.
Miller’s best chance to give himself a chance at an NHL career would be to contact the diversity alliance and dig in to recovery/advocacy with them. Make the real changes and/or prove things are different now than they were as a 14-17yo.
it isn’t about discretion, cancel culture, political correctness, those are just terms thrown about to silence others.
Cancel culture?….how about telling Lebron to shut up and dribble.
political correctness? poor 14y/o who spent entire high school bullying with a slap on the wrist 25 hr community service, once and nothing for the years of beatings he handed out.
Discretion was not writing about Lafleur smoking between shifts.
Discretion didn’t keep the Kostisyn brothers drunkenness out of the news.
Discretion didn’t keep Kassian’s drug binge party/car crash out of the news.
These are terms that have been newspeaked a la 1984.
The kid never paid for what he spent years doing, kept skating by because he was a talent and hit the end of the road.