Minnesota Management Controversy

Hi to all my Dublies!

I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with this article, so bear with me 😘

With the constant stream of allegations flying around regarding the management of PWHL Minnesota I know there are a lot of BIG FEELS happening right now. You all know I'm not one to shy away from difficult topics and this one doesn't seem to be going away.

However, I'm finding this whole thing particularly difficult to digest, as there are so many moving parts. Some groups have even suspended discussion of this topic as the speculation is causing even more issues. I don't want to do that, even though it would make my life easier - I see the value of having a safe space to discuss these difficult situations.

With that in mind, here are some of my thoughts about the Minnesota coaching and management controversy in no particular order:

🏒 THIS IS PRO HOCKEY CULTURE.

The PWHL is the outlier here; professional hockey culture historically isn't very nice. I personally stopped following man hockey because it was no longer pleasurable to know I was being entertained at someone else's expense. These shenanigans have often been accepted as the price to pay for victory.

We all hoped that the PWHL would be different, and it has been different in many ways! It was an amazing season and it felt so welcoming compared to the pro hockey we're used to. However, it seems unreasonable to think that the pre-existing culture wouldn't seep in. Many of those at the PWHL have come from that environment where toxicity is the order of the day and that's really all they know.

Yelling and demeaning talk, name-calling, bigotry, sexism, racism are all fair play in the big money hockey world. It's normal behaviour, tolerated and even encouraged. And if a team wins, the perception is that this approach is successful. It's sad that this attitude has infiltrated the PWHL, but not surprising.

🏒 WE ARE NOT PRIVY TO THE REAL STORY

I don't mind seeing speculation on the group, because it's fun to guess. It can even be fun to ride that moral high ground of indignancy. But, it's only those who were in the room who really know. By all means, share your theory, but it's only a theory until we have sources or official statements from those involved.

🏒 THIS IS A NO-TROLL FAN GROUP.

I've been following our posts very closely and generally you all do a pretty good job of following this rule. But, as we are not perfect, this is your reminder that EVERYONE should feel SAFE here. So, if you're a Minnesota fan and you still want to support this team, that's ok. If you're a Toronto Fan and you have strong opinions, that's ok too. If you don't know what to think, that's ok. If you don't care, that's ok.

Feelings are riding high right now, but feelings can change. I will continue to provide a safe space and I will do my best to get it right. If you see a problem, DM me.

One last thing. You may have noticed that I've not mentioned a certain player in this post. I'm still working my way through that one. I realise the issue with the player is intrinsically linked to the management issues, but I'm super uncomfortable with the notion that somehow to support the Minnesota team is to support bigotry. I will post about this as a separate issue, but in the meantime please know that it's on my radar and I'm on the lookout to make sure everyone sticks to our group culture of inclusion and tolerance.

Thank you, Dublies. Let's keep this group clean and continue to support each other as best we can.

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