NHL announces policy following several incidents of Canadian fans booing the Star Spangled Banner

UPDATE: TSN investigative reporter Rick Westhead is reporting that the NHL is NOT planning to stop performances of the 'Star Spangled Banner' prior to games, but that the league is expecting teams to stop the use of "young singers who might be rattled by negative fan reaction."

From Westhead:

Read below on our earlier reports regarding the ongoing trend of boo'ing the National Anthem at NHL games this past week.

The ol' 'Star Spangled Banner' has had a rough week North of the border...

Fans in Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver all loudly boo'ed the singing of American National Anthem this past weekend amidst economic threats made against Canada from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Today, Toronto Maple Leafs captain and American citizen Auston Matthews was asked about the trend and declined to get political with the media.

Honestly... smart move. 

What does Matthews have to gain by sticking his neck out with an opinion over something he has zero control over? He's a hockey player and a damn good one at that, he doesn't need to pontificate on the state of international politics.

Read below for our earlier report on this trend with reaction from Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, published by Hockey Feed staff writer Jonathan Larrivee.

The National Hockey League witnessed some controversy take place during their games over the weekend when some Canadian hockey fans decided to express their unhappiness with recent policy changes in the United States of America. Those fans did so by booing during the performing of the American national anthem with several incidents of this nature taking place over the weekend.

The first such incident appeared to be in the City of Ottawa on Saturday with one in the City of Calgary just a few hours later, but by far the most obvious protest would come from fans in the City of Vancouver on Sunday.

Unfortunately for the Detroit Red Wings they would serve as the opponent for two of those games in Canada and following the controversial protest from fans some of the players on the Red Wings roster were asked to share their thoughts on the entire fiasco. One such player was Red Wings star forward Patrick Kane, who is of course himself an American born player.

"It’s too bad," said Kane following the game in Vancouver. "It is what it is. I guess you can maybe understand it from this side, but it seems like it’s a thing that’s going around the league right now."

Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, a Canadian born former player turned coach, also had some thoughts on the matter but chose to keep them to himself, choosing instead to focus on the sport.

"I know why you're asking me that question and I have my personal opinions on the political landscape but I'm gonna keep those to myself and I'm gonna separate that from what we were all here for and that is the entertainment value of a hockey game," said McLellan.