NHLPA raises concerns regarding new player screening measures set by Hockey Canada

With the men’s Hockey World Championship underway, the players have expressed their concerns regarding the new protocols laid out by Hockey Canada. As per a memo released by the Athletic, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) has raised objections concerning these new measures.

The players participating in the tournament had to undergo a criminal records check. Additionally, their social media accounts were also put under the scan. A reason for such drastic measures is said to have been taken following the wake of the scandal in 2018. During the World Junior Championship that year, some players were linked to cases of sexual assaults.

Ever since the news broke out regarding the scandal, Hockey Canada faced huge backlash for their handling of players. These new rules were placed to ensure such a thing does not happen again. The organization believes this is not why players have been opting out of participation. Latvia and Finland will host the tournament and will run till May 28.

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Players reported to be unhappy and confused with the new rules introduced by Hockey Canada

This year’s IIHF men’s world championships are missing several key NHL players. Some of them are out injured, while some are busy in the play-offs of the Stanley Cup. However few players have optioned out from participating because of the new screening process. The NHLPA have told through their agents that they are having doubts about this measures taken by Hockey Canada.

“The screening process is extremely broad and includes required disclosure of anything that could negatively impact Hockey Canada’s reputation. We asked Hockey Canada to clarify how players were to respond to this question, but they were unable to provide any useful guidance,” the memo obtained by The Athletic read.

Hockey Canada has reopened their investigation after a woman alleged that eight team members had assaulted her. In March, the governing body confirmed that no player from the 2018 Championship side will be allowed to participate in the world championships and represent them.

Speaking of the tournament, the United States and Canada opened their accounts with victories. Both of the hosts were handed big defeats in their opening games. Meanwhile, Sweden edged out by a single-goal margin against Germany. In Group B, Czechia was on the right side of a five-goal thriller, winning 3-2 against Slovakia.

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