NHL and NHLPA Announce Protocol Regarding Anthems for World Cup

The National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association announced on Wednesday, that the national anthems of both squads would be played prior to their matchups during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey tournament and pre-tournament games.

For Team North America, which consists of players under the age of 24, from both Canada and the United States, both the Canadian and US national anthems, as well as their opponents, anthem will be performed before the game. Team North America will be in Group B during the tournament, with Finland, Sweden and Russia. 

In regards to Team Europe, which consist of players representing countries, which do not include Russia, Finland, Sweden or the Czech Republic, the NHL and NHLPA after some careful consideration and respect to Team Europe made the decision to forego the music tribute prior to their games. Only the anthem of their opponent from Group A, which consists of USA, Canada or Czech Republic, would be played in Team Europe’s games. 

After consulting with team management and players amongst the leadership group, it was determined that the players of Team Europe believed that their commitment to work together as a team towards their objective, along with their passion and loyalty for their homelands and anthems basically made any other musical tribute artificial and unnecessary. The European Union uses “Ode to Joy,” a short instrumental version of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, as their official anthem. 

Anthems will be performed prior to all preliminary games during the tournament. In the playoff rounds, it will switch over to an international format, with the winning team’s anthem played following the game. 

National anthems have been brought to the forefront of a hot button issue recently. Colin Kaepernick, of the San Francisco 49ers, decided to sit during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” as a silent protest prior to an exhibition game. Team USA coach, John Tortorella, said that he would not be afraid to bench any player on his squad that did not stand for the anthem. 

Tortorella’s son, Nick, is a US Army Ranger, currently on his third deployment in Afghanistan, with the US Army Special Forces. 

Seattle Seahawks player, Jeremy Lane and soccer star and US Women’s National Team member, Megan Rapinoe followed in Kaepernick’s footsteps. In Montreal, members of the pro-separatists group, Quebecois, have remained seated at the Bell Centre, during the playing of “O Canada.”