No game had yet been played in the NHL when the first scandal came to the surface in early September Spitting Chiclets revealed that Mike Babcock forced his players to show them the contents of their cell phones. After flatly denying the allegations, the head coach decided to resign after a players’ association investigation gave credence to Paul Bissonnette’s allegations.
• Also read: Shane Pinto and Sports Betting: A Lesson for All NHL Players
• Also read: Sports Betting: A very long ban for Shane Pinto
Further controversy arose in early October when the NHL sent a memo to its 32 teams emphasizing that players would be banned from putting rainbow-colored tape on their sticks, a tape that supports the LGBTQ+ community. This request from the league not only caused a social uproar, but was not at all liked by the players, forcing the NHL to change its rules last week to put an end to the debate that began to be a distraction within its ranks.
But that’s not all. Shane Pinto hit the headlines after the league decided to suspend him for 41 games for engaging in sports betting, while also pointing out that the Senators player, who was still out of contract, had not bet on NHL games. I don’t have to tell you that the confusion was enormous, and for good reason.
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“Let’s say it’s a very difficult start to the season.” This sentence was not mine, but rather from a senior player’s association official who was found at the Edmonton Airport after the Heritage Classic. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the NHL be at the center of some scandals, even though the season has only just begun.
Even though the league moved quickly to address the three issues mentioned above, there is still one important issue to investigate and that is sports betting. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told me in an interview that the rules don’t need to be changed because they are very clear: A player cannot bet on hockey games. He also emphasized that Shane Pinto was not guilty of investing sums of money in hockey games. So what did he do to deserve such a ban?
Shane Pinto Getty Images via AFP
A QUESTION OF EDUCATION
Shane Pinto has put himself in a difficult position because of suspicions that he may have engaged in insider trading. Even if the league has no formal evidence, the mere fact that suspicion exists is enough to suspend him.
The Players Association and its members now have a very important role to play here. She has taken the bull by the horns and has already started holding meetings (which have been running since Monday) to make the players aware of what they can and cannot do.
First, the priority will be to let players know that they have the right to put a few dollars into legal online gambling platforms. You have every right to do so, except during hockey games.
What they are absolutely not allowed to do is bet through a bookmaker, a person often associated with the underworld. Although it is obvious to many that it is not good for an athlete to be associated with a bookmaker, the fact remains that it is a scourge in American colleges and universities, even though the legal minimum betting age is 21 lies. Anyone who is not yet 21 years old therefore uses bookmakers to bet on games, and these often remain in their life for several years even after they have reached the legal betting age. It must also be said that sports betting is not legal in all states, which leaves a lot of room for the underworld.
The other important point is family. A player’s spouse is not allowed to bet on NHL games, even on a legal website. The same applies to other family members. But how far does the rule go? This is what the Players Association is trying to clearly define with the league to avoid any form of conflict of interest.
A very complex topic, but one that keeps all NHL players on guard. They are now under scrutiny and it is clear that the league will not hesitate to punish another player harshly if it deems it necessary.
