Hockey makes progress in midst of awakening about racism

Anson Carter filled his time in pandemic isolation walking 11 miles a day, sometimes with his dogs, around his Atlanta neighborhood. He’ll get that chance beginning Tuesday, when NBC Sports launches a new “Hockey Culture” show spearheaded by Carter — a 10-year NHL player — to “try to change the culture of hockey, one interview at a time.” The initiative comes amid an awakening in hockey about systemic racism and its role in the majority white sport. Minnesota’s Matt Dumba recently became the first NHL player to kneel during the “Star-Spangled Banner,” Vegas teammates Ryan Reaves and Robin Lehner were joined by Dallas players Tyler Seguin and Jason Dickinson kneeling for the U.S. and Canadian anthems the next night, and teams are taking tangible steps to address the issue in their communities, led by the Washington Capitals. “Hockey is a great game,” Dumba said in a powerful speech before one of the first games of the NHL restart, “but it could be a whole lot greater, and it starts with all of us.” Each step has brought the question of what’s enough. “The players can make statements about more global issues, but as far as actually having an impact, we have to see what we can get done really on a local basis.” Goaltender Braden Holtby, who backstopped the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup title two years ago and was at the forefront of speaking out as a white hockey player, said now is the time to affect real chance.