NHL Network, EJ Hradek ignore Ivan Provorov after saying he should ‘get involved’ with war — commentary
On Wednesday night, NHL Network analyst EJ Hradek appeared on “NHL Now!” and commented that Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov should “get on a plane” and “get involved” in the war in Ukraine, all because he wasn’t wearing a Pride Night jersey.
Hradek appeared on Thursday’s edition of “NHL Now” and did not respond to his comments at all during the two-hour broadcast.
Earlier today, OutKick contacted NHL Network via email, phone and social media and received no response.
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Philadelphia Flyers number 9 Ivan Provorov skates during warmups before the game against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on December 29, 2022 in San Jose, California. (Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images)
Provorov cited his Russian Orthodox religion for opting out of the Flyers’ Pride Night pregame warmups. “My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m going to say,” he said.
Ahead of Thursday’s broadcast, viewers took to Twitter to demand that Hradek apologize for his comments. Some even did so by responding to a completely unrelated video celebrating Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos’ 500th career goal.
There is a precedent for this kind of situation; one in which a broadcaster says something deemed questionable by a portion of the audience. Usually what follows is an excuse or they are shown the door.
Analysts Stu Grimson, EJ Hradek and host Lauren Gardner attend Game 4 of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Finals between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on June 22, 2022 in Tampa, in Florida. (Getty Images)
The only major difference between them and Hradek is that, generally, they are left-leaning people looking for excuses.
There have been many similar incidents for broadcasters who faced revival
Others had to apologize or lose their jobs for statements not entirely different from what Hredek said.
Take Grant Napear, former Sacramento King player. He lost his job as the voice of the Kings after responding to a fan who asked for his views on Black Lives Matter.
It cost him his job, and Napear is currently in the midst of a wrongful termination lawsuit with his former employer Bonneville International.
Just weeks ago, NC State football and basketball announcer Gary Hahn was suspended after using the term “illegal alien.”
He served a suspension but was reinstated on January 14.
Even those who have tried to make a career out of catering to revivals have come up against them and had to self-flagellate for the crowd pleaser.
ESPN’s Jalen Rose issued an awkward apology when asking why the name of the Celtics employee who engaged in an affair with then-head coach Ime Udoka hadn’t been given. been made public.
Stephen A. has filed a pair of apologies in recent weeks
Stephen A. Smith looks on before a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics on November 19, 2021 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Speaking of ESPN, Stephen A. Smith recently issued two apologies for statements that aren’t even in the same zip code as Hradek’s vitriolic take on Provorov.
The first was when he used the word “homosexual”. If this verboten being is news to you, at least to the eyes of the awakened, it apparently is.
“I just wanted to say, at the start of the show when we were talking about Lamar Jackson, I should have said the word gay,” Smith crawled. “The LGBTQ community prefers that to other words because obviously other words are considered derogatory in their eyes. So following that, my apologies. I should have used the word gay.”
As if not fond of apologies, Smith posted another this week after telling Rihanna “isn’t Beyonce.”
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It sure seems like as long as it’s not the left-wing mob asking for an apology, you’re free to go about your business as usual.