In this edition of Boston Bruins News & Rumors, Taylor Hall spoke out regarding Kyle Beach’s situation and said that hockey has become “a bit of an old boys club” while also suggesting there needs to be a culture change. In other news, the Bruins and Florida Panthers, as well as fans in attendance at TD Garden on Saturday, held a moment of silence for the late Jimmy Hayes. On a different note, Bruins broadcaster Jack Edwards voiced his displeasure with New England Sports Network’s (NESN) travel restrictions.
Hall Sympathetic Towards Kyle Beach
Fans and media alike have been quite upset with how the NHL, as well as many in prominent positions with the Chicago Blackhawks in the past, failed to support Kyle Beach at the time he was sexually assaulted by then-video coach Brad Aldrich. What has made things even worse is that some in the game have let media know that individuals like Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville are good men, rather than condemn them for their decisions or lack thereof.
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One player who didn’t take that approach and instead called for a change in hockey was Hall. The 29-year-old Bruins forward spoke with media regarding the situation after a Bruins loss this past Thursday.
“Our hearts go out to Kyle Beach,” Hall started. “We were playing junior at a similar time, and it’s just so unfortunate that he had to go through that. We were talking about it last night. Everyone just feels terrible for him and hope that he can get some solace in the end of this.”
“Every culture needs to keep getting better, and hockey’s no different. This is a game that’s a little bit of, I guess you would call it an old boys’ club. There’s definitely some secrecy and things that need to change, and hopefully they can. You never want to think of an incident like this, positives coming from it because it’s been so terrible. But there needs to be changes, and unfortunately, people need to be held accountable.”
Tribute Held for Hayes
This summer, the NHL community was rocked by the sudden and tragic passing of Hayes. Hayes, who is the brother of Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes, played in 334 career NHL games between 2011-2018, including stints with both the Bruins and Panthers, who non-coincidentally were the two teams in action on Saturday where a moment of silence was held for his passing.
“He was an infectious kid, a pleasure and a joy to be around,” said Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette, who played with Hayes as a member of the Blackhawks during the 2011-12 season. “It’s hard not being able to see him again. To be a part of tonight, you’re at least able to say goodbye. It’s a special one tonight.”
Since his passing, many have echoed similar sentiments to Brunette’s, proving just how well-liked and respected he was by anyone he crossed paths with. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to his family during this difficult time.
Jack Edwards Frustrated With Travel Restrictions
Over the years, Edwards has become one of the most famous play-by-play announcers in the entire NHL due to his often over-the-top biased commentary towards the Bruins. Many consider him to be over the top at times, but there is no denying his passion for the game. Unfortunately, it has been hard for him to display that passion in his announcing at times this season, as NESN made the decision to keep its announcers in town when the Bruins go out on the road, something Edwards is not very pleased about. (from ‘Fluto Shinzawa: NESN is not traveling with the Bruins, and Jack Edwards is frustrated: ‘They know I’m not going to like it”, The Athletic 10/27/21).
“I hear it in many announcers’ voices when they’re calling games from the studio,” Edwards said. “I’m not in this alone. It’s frustrating. But as the saying goes, that decision is way above my pay grade.”
“The captains of the ship have determined that this is the way we’re going to chart our course. I’m going to do the best job I can. I have benefited from their acceptance of my protests. They’re doing what is best for NESN. That’s their job.”
For what it’s worth for Edwards, it is being reported that NESN “intends to reassess road travel at the beginning of 2022,” but at this time, it remains unclear as to what that might mean. You can certainly understand where he is coming from here, as it would be quite difficult to get excited and feed off the energy of the building if you are watching the game on a TV instead.
Up Next for the Bruins
The Bruins have a few days off before a tilt on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. After that, they have just one more game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night in what is a quiet week for them. As of now, they sit sixth in the Atlantic Division with eight points, though their seven games played ties the Ottawa Senators for the lowest in their division.
