NHL Fans Are Pissed Off With Gary Bettman After Recent Move

The cause of this uproar stems from Marc-Andre Fleury's desire to commemorate an upcoming Native American Heritage Night hosted by the Minnesota Wild.

Fleury, aiming to express solidarity with his Native American wife and indigenous communities across North America, sought to wear a special goalie mask crafted by a Native artist for the occasion.

However, Bettman, the NHL commissioner, stepped in and quashed Fleury's plans. The league's prohibition on players wearing equipment to support specific causes led Bettman to issue a stern warning, threatening Fleury with a substantial fine if he dared to wear the helmet, even during warm-up.

According to Fleury's agent, Allan Walsh, the goaltender was initially willing to accept the fine and wear the helmet anyway.

However, Bettman escalated the stakes by extending the threat to encompass the entire Wild organization.

This incident exemplifies why many vehemently opposed the NHL's stance on restricting players from showcasing support for communities and causes through their equipment.

Critics argue that the league's approach is crude, insensitive, and diminishes players' ability to express their personalities and passions.

Rather than embracing an opportunity to highlight a player's advocacy, the NHL, in this instance, opted to stifle such expressions out of fear of potential controversy, a move that has not gone unnoticed by disapproving fans.