NHL To Bruins: Lose The Red Sox Hats

June 10, 2011 4:03 PM

Shawn Thornton and the Bruins have been told not to wear Red Sox hats during their media availabilities anymore.

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BOSTON (CBS) – Well, so much for showing support for the other hometown teams. A few Bruins players are catching flack for wearing Red Sox hats during interviews.

The NHL has told players like Shawn Thornton, Michael Ryder and Chris Kelly to stop wearing their Sox hats during their TV interviews.

The reasoning behind the demand appears to have something to do with garnering publicity for the league.

CBS Store: Buy Bruins Stanley Cup Gear

According to the NHL, players have all been provided with Stanley Cup Playoffs merchandise and the league wants them wearing those items instead.

98.5 The Sports Hub is the only local station to listen to every game of the Stanley Cup Finals. Coverage begins an hour before each game with the Bruins Pregame show hosted by Dave Goucher & Bob Beers.

B’s Fan

Can the NHL be any more ridiculous!
Matthew Wilson

get a life gary bettman, the bruins are the main reason you’re makin a fortune in these nhl playoffs. by the way, the nfl called they said, “grow up!”
Marcia

I’m sorry, but that is just weak. You play for one Boston team, WHY NOT support the other Boston teams. Makes NO friggin’ sense.
Christa Grant

Hey NHL worry about players who BITE. Not freakin baseball caps. Ridiculous.

Andrew

couldnt agree more

AM

It’s kind of like going to a concert and wearing a t-shirt of the band you’re seeing. You just don’t do it.
Mike

Hey NHL, when you start supporting the Bruins, maybe they will support you.
Brian

If there is a pre-existing rule, fine…but if they are making this up just to sell more overpriced NHL merchandise…they already have the teams wear 3 or 4 different uniforms to sell more jerseys, etc. for their cut of the licensing rights.

Why would I buy a “Stanley Cup Playoffs” hat when I can get a “Stanley Cup Champions” hat Monday? :)
J.d. Doran

its not the nba with the suits and its not the nba with players shooting eachother and brandishing guns ,.,.,. i wanna see them wear patriots jerseys tonight in vancouver
http://toosoxy.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/they-want-to-coat-our-nation-in-syrup-and-feed-us-to-a-moose-herd-really-i-heard-it-from-michael-j-fox/ They want to coat our nation in syrup and feed us to a moose herd. Really. I heard it from Michael J. Fox. « Too Soxy for my Shirt

[...] Did you read this? Looks like our Bruins are getting the no-no from management about their [...]
Mike I.

The NHL is full of it, I think it has something to do with the Red Sox playing the Toronto Blue Jays tonight in Canada. We wouldn’t want to hurt their feelings now, would we. Amazing that the NHL can get away with something like that.
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/06/10/bruins-marchand-coming-up-big-in-cup-finals/ Bruins Brad Marchand Coming Up Big In Stanley Cup Finals Against Vancouver Canucks « CBS Boston

[...] Read: NHL to Bruins: Lose The Red Sox Hats [...]
Lou Lange

All the guys are doing are supporting a local team – have seen this done by other NHL teams – and the NHL waits to squawk until NOW??? -shakes his head-
blackbear1

The NHL continues to get everything wrong. It goes out of its way to produce negative PR… A previous poster mentioned, when the NHL starts to support the Bruins…… Very good point. We get dissed on every decision. Our guys are getting their heads ripped of. Marc Savard was even referred to as a faker by Colin Campbell.
Ken

Another pathetic move by the regime of Gary Bettman.
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/06/10/red-sox-recall-reliever-bowden-option-catcher-exposito/ Red Sox Recall Reliever Bowden, Option Catcher Exposito « CBS Boston

[...] Read: NHL to Bruins: Lose The Red Sox Hats [...]
Bill Cliffton

Nothing better to do. The NHL leadership needs a shake up.
Bryan

Bruins fan to NHL: Kiss off!!!
http://firedannyainge.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/sox-ins-big-game-5-tonight/ Sox-Ins. Big game 5 tonight | Fire Danny Ainge

[...] First is the mean NHL telling the Bruins players not to wear Sox hats during interviews. Well NHL a company in the USA. This is AMERICA. If Shawn Thornton wants to wear a red sox hat HE CAN. [...]
PAMELA

Hockey players are in the NHL? I had no idea! Thank goodness the league is clearing that up for us. PATHETIC!
Linda

Just goes to show you they really are against all the Boston teams!! What gives them the right to say what someone can wear. There are much more important things for them to complain about like the Dirty playing Canucks!!

M Oneill

Really? You don’t think that an employer has the right to dictate within reason what is acceptable attire? Last I checked it’s called a dress code and is present in MANY work environments.

Donny

Have any of the Red Sox players been wearing the Bruins caps to return the favor?… If not, I’d love to see them do it. I mean, the Cup’s happening now and the Sox aren’t even in midseason. Would also make Bettman look silly as it would be cross – promotion from the larger MLB market.

Sabrina Barth

I don’t know if they have worn Bruins hats, but I do know Red Sox players made a Bruins commercial supporting the Bruins.

Sabrina Barth

Ok I know it is wonderful to support other teams in your area, no doubt about it. However lets face it, if the Red Sox were playing in the World Series and were wearing Bruins hats during interviews do you think they would also get flack?? You bet they would!! This is the Stanley Cup folks…. Is this really a story we should be talking about??
Phinneus T

Redmember the NHL is based in Canada, the grandmother of the Nanny States. They are still ‘subjects of the Queen’ . Canadiens are accustomed to meekly obeying what their government tells them without a whimper. That same approach has traditionally been the way the NHL does business. Scaroo the NHL dictators.
Mike

This is so stupid. I’m a Wings fan, I can tell you guys that Wings player regularly wear Detroit Tiger hats during interviews. They’re not the home or road Tiger hats though. They’re red with a white logo. I guess the NHL figures that’s alright.
Johnny

The NHL had ‘fixed’ the officiating against the Bruins for the ENTIRE Final series and NOW they want the B’s to show more support for the League?!?! Hey Commissioner, hang this hockey stick in yer ass!!