“I Didn’t Like It” – Matthew Tkachuk On U.S. Anthem Booing
Photo: NHL Full Press/Jim Biringer
Michel Lacroix’s voice boomed around the Bell Centre.
The building’s legendary public address announcer asked fans to respect both the United States and Finland ahead of Thursday’s game at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Many in attendance ignored that request.
Large sections of the crowd booed the American national anthem ahead of the game, which the U.S. won 6-1 thanks to a four-goal third period.
“I didn’t like it, and that’s all I got,” forward Matthew Tkachuk, who finished with two goals and an assist, said of the jeers throughout anthem singer Alexandre Sylvestre’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Fans at NHL games in Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver booed the U.S. anthem in recent weeks after President Donald Trump announced potentially crippling tariffs — a 30-day reprieve was negotiated Feb. 3 — and continues to muse about making the country’s northern neighbour its 51st state.
There were also boos at recent home games of Canada’s lone NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors.
“That’s really not something that we can control,” U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan added Thursday night. “We just want to play hockey. We want to compete. We want to represent our nation in the right way.”
The Americans were also loudly jeered when they hit the ice ahead of puck drop and again during player introductions. There were no boos during Finland’s anthem.
Canada and the U.S. are set to meet at the 4 Nations on Saturday night back at the Bell Centre.
“Everyone has their own views on things,” American defenceman Brock Faber said. “I’m honoured to wear the red, white and blue. For us, we’re just focused on winning games.”
American supporters in attendance Thursday started a “U-S-A! U-S-A!” chant just before puck drop only to be drowned out.
“These guys are hockey players, and they’re here to play hockey,” Sullivan said. “They’re also proud Americans and it’s a privilege to represent your nation, and all of us that have the opportunity to participate and be part of this U.S. team. It means a lot to all of us.
“To represent our nation is something that we think is bigger than ourselves or the sport.”
Despite the blanket tariff pause on goods entering from Canada, Trump slapped 25 per cent duties on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. on Monday, including Canadian products.
“I think we like it, not politically,” U.S. forward J.T. Miller said of the crowd vitriol. “But maybe just at a sense of, we know where we’re at in Canada and I think that fires us up more than anything.
“It’s great.”
Crowds in Montreal have booed the U.S. anthem at NHL games in the past, including after the country’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Lacroix also asked fans to respect the anthem when the trend initially started, and many obliged.
There was no anthem booing in Halifax for a recent Rivalry Series game between the Canadian and American women’s hockey teams.
The 4 Nations marks NHL players’ return to high-level international hockey and is a teaser ahead of the Olympic tournament.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly was asked Wednesday about the potential booing of the U.S. anthem and if the league was planning to take any action.
“It’s unfortunate, obviously, and we wish it wasn’t the case,” he said. “But from time to time things happen and people have strong feelings about it, and obviously we’re aware of what’s been happening here.
“I think the negativity has probably lessened over the last week. Hopefully it continues to lessen and that relations will be normal, but it’s something obviously we’re aware of and we’ll follow.”
(Canadian Press)
Don Cherry said it best, “They come here for our milk & honey the least they can do…” He was in retrospect talking about Canada. A failed sociology experiment that similar to Ukraine offers absolutely nothing. Thank God Alberta and Saskatchewan will be absorbed – oil and potash. As for steel and aluminum tariffs – not a problem. USA will get their steel and aluminum from Russia oh…you all didn’t see that one coming? Canadians watch their NFL, Yellowstone, Music, the list goes on. They do not pay their way and then expect USA to protect them in a fight.… Read more »
There’s a meeting at the German club march 1 should be Interesting. Being yoked to Metropolitan Ontario and Quebec has to end.
There’s no need for it and I told Lise Merle one of the organizers this. The SaskParty needs to drop Scott Moe like a sack of rocks. – this all needs to come to a head. What’s going on around here? There are 31 rural seats the SaskParty needs to make very sure nobody understands what’s happening there. India owns Saskatchewan. All the lentils/chick peas are grown here. They own the land indirectly through a couple of very massive Ag Corps with a former NDP Leader as the point man. Those crops are processed by another conglomerate just outside Regina… Read more »
Haha what a fantasyland you live in, you really think Trump is going to give Alberta and Sask a special place at the table and pat you on the head like the good boy you think you are.
Trump is full of hot air. At least Carney will call his bluff unlike the servile surrender monkeys Pierre, Danielle and Scott.
Mark Carney? Well he will have to first explain why he was making trips to the Epstein island. Oh yeah, so that’s going to be interesting. You have a woman Ghiselle Maxwell doing 18 long in a federal penetentiary for sex trafficking yet nobody knows who these people were trafficked too. The deal is she keeps her yap shut and there’s a pot o gold waiting when she gets out. Donald Trump knows exactly who these people are in government, the World Economic Forum, and the World Health Organization It’s like he told that bubble head with CNN – she… Read more »
Trump has declared economic war on everybody but Russia. What do you expect?