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November 4, 2025 by HHN Staff Writer
I’ve been around hockey my whole life.
I’ve laced up for early-morning practices, froze on the benches, played shinny in outdoor rinks at 10 p.m. and bled for this game.
I’ve defended it when people called it violent, when they said it was “toxic,” when they said hockey culture was broken. I defended my favorite players, thinking their alleged victims were all puck bunnies chasing the fame and fortune or were just plain “psychos”.
But guys, I can’t defend it anymore.
Because this sport — the one we all say builds character and brotherhood — is drowning in stories of abuse, assault, and the mistreatment of women.
And too many of us are still pretending it’s not happening.
This Isn’t Just “A Few Bad Guys”
We all know what I’m talking about.
The 2018 Hockey Canada scandal.
The Carter Hart trial.
The Ryan Kesler charges.
Evander Kane’s repeated allegations.
And now, the quiet suspension of Mitch Love, the Washington Capitals coach fired for “conduct detrimental to the League.”
(Translation: something bad enough to get rid of him, but not bad enough to tell us what actually happened.)
Every time, it’s the same script:
Lawyers.
Silence.
A carefully worded statement about “learning and moving forward.”
And then? Back to business as usual.
It’s Not Just About Sexual Assault
We need to stop pretending this conversation begins and ends there.
It’s assault, yes.
It’s also abuse, manipulation, and flat-out mistreatment of women — in locker rooms, in organizations, in every corner of the sport that teaches young men they’re untouchable if they can shoot or make a save.
A survivor’s lawyer from the Hockey Canada case said it best:
“If there’s one thing that is undeniable, it’s that in that room that night, there was an absence of leadership. There was an absence of character. Nobody said, ‘I don’t care what she’s saying, this is wrong. We need to be better than this. Stop.’”
That quote haunts me.
Because that absence of leadership — that silence — is the real epidemic.
Carter Hart’s Contract Is a Slap in the Face to Women
The Vegas Golden Knights signed Carter Hart to a two-year, $4 million deal on October 26th.
The same Carter Hart who stood trial for sexual assault in connection with that 2018 Hockey Canada case.
Sure, he was found not guilty.
But let’s be honest: not guilty doesn’t mean innocent.
It means the system couldn’t convict. It doesn’t mean nothing happened.
So when a team looks at that history and decides to hand him a contract anyway, what message does that send?
That talent erases accountability?
That women’s pain expires after a few news cycles?
Because from where I’m standing, that’s exactly how it feels.
Mitch Love Situation Fuels the Fire
Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love was placed on a team-imposed leave on September 14, 2025 due to an NHL-led investigation into an undisclosed matter. The NHL suspended Love for the 2025–26 season on October 26, 2025 as result of the findings of that investigation, and the Capitals fired Love because of those findings.
Frank Servalli reported that the investigation was into alleged domestic abuse.
A journalist shared the only shred of information publicly available about the nature of the investigation. The NHL didn’t say a word about what their findings were and why they suspended him. The Capitals didn’t say a word about why Love was fired.
The Capitals PR team stated that “The organization is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct and accountability”. Accountability would entail publicly stating the findings of the investigation rather than hiding what happened.
And that’s the problem. Once again, it’s silence over transparency and image over accountability.
We’re Failing Women — And the Game
We tell ourselves hockey builds character.
We brag about teamwork, discipline, honor.
But what kind of “character” looks away when women are hurt?
What kind of “team” protects abusers while silencing victims?
This isn’t just about the players.
It’s about the coaches who protect them, the executives who sign them, the fans who defend them online, and the culture that teaches young men that what happens “off the ice” doesn’t count.
If this was happening anywhere else — in business, in politics, in any other sport — there’d be outrage.
In hockey, it’s just Tuesday.
What Real Change Would Look Like
Transparency. No more secret investigations.
Policies with teeth. The NHL still doesn’t have a clear public policy for sexual assault or domestic violence.
Education. Teach players and staff about consent, power, and respect.
Accountability. For every level of the system — not just players, but coaches and management too.
Support for survivors. Not hush money. Not PR lines. Real, tangible help.
Here’s the Truth
I still love hockey.
But I’m done pretending it’s okay to love something that refuses to grow up.
This game doesn’t need more slogans about “respect.” It needs men who will actually show it.
It needs fans who stop defending the indefensible.
It needs the NHL to prove that protecting women matters more than protecting reputations.
And Here’s the Twist
If you’ve read this far and thought, “wow, this guy is making some good points” – that’s perfect
I have news for you.
I’m not a man.
I’m a woman.
A woman who’s watched this game her whole life. A woman who’s shouted into the void, begging men to care. A woman who has been victimized by pro hockey players and treated like a sex object. A woman who had to disguise her voice as yours just to make you listen. A woman you likely know from social media if you’re an Oilers fan.
If that doesn’t make you uncomfortable — it should.
Because until men start speaking up with this same anger and honesty, nothing’s going to change.
1 Comment
Wow good article, from the heart! Take.note, change is coming!