George Parros’ Nylander statement included one line the NHL rarely puts in writing



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NHL Head of Player Safety George Parros (left) and Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (right)

Photo credit: TSN Sports

William Nylander’s incident on-air during a Maple Leafs broadcast which didn’t sit well with the NHL who fined the forward and also put forth a rare statement.

Wherever you side you sit on, the fact remains that Nylander was punished and the NHL took umbrage with his actions.

Parros releases statement on Nylander gesture

So much in fact that the NHL decided to put out a statement, including a rare glimpse into how the NHL expects their players to behave in all facets:

The gesture was shown live on-air during the game broadcast. This serves as a reminder the code of conduct governing Players extends throughout the arena at NHL games and in public game situations.

It’s not only rare to hear what the NHL demands of its players but the fact that George Parros himself decided to chime in, which certainly drew the ire of many fans around the league:

The issue fans are having is pretty clear. This really isn’t a Player Safety issue and Parros really shouldn’t be making comments.

Toronto’s popularity is the reason the league was so quick to punish

It’s a little perplexing that Parros was speaking as it should be Gary Bettman or Bill Daly making the comments but regardless of who said what, Nylander did break the rules of the NHL even if he wasn’t on the ice.

The debate about why other similar incidents went unpunished could be due to the fact that Toronto is one of the most talked about and visible teams in the world, and more eyes are going to be on them and their players than most.

If the league doesn’t step in immediately it would set a bad precedent, and they would rather quiet things quickly and prevent any further cases, though if we continue to see these actions without further consequence it might raise a bunch of new questions.

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George Parros’ Nylander statement included one line the NHL rarely puts in writing

Did the NHL need to release a statement regarding the William Nylander incident?