Krys Barch Uses Racial Slur Against P.K. Subban? Panthers Forward Reportedly Ejected For Comments

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Panthers forward Krys Barch was ejected after reportedly directing a racial slur at a Montreal player Saturday night, and Florida coach Kevin Dineen said it was now a matter for the NHL to investigate.

Barch was given a game misconduct after a dustup at the end of the first period in Florida's 3-2 win. The Miami Herald, citing an unidentified league official, said linesman Darren Gibbs overheard Barch use the slur against P.K. Subban, whose parents are Jamaican.

Barch left the dressing room before media members were allowed in for postgame interviews, The on-ice officials were not made available for comment.

"Personally, I didn't hear anything. I don't even know what happened, really," Subban said. "A couple of guys on the ice told me that something was said. I don't know what was said. I didn't hear it. As far as I'm concerned it's really out of my hands, so I don't really know too much about it."

Dineen was careful with his comments.

"Well, my take is we have an incredibly broken-up player in there who feels extremely bad that there was an insinuation that something inappropriate was said and now it's moved on to a league matter," Dineen said. "And obviously the Florida Panthers, Krys Barch and all of us are really shaken up by this, that there was an insinuation that something was said that was inappropriate."

"Again I'll leave it with the league right now, but I think this is always a very sensitive area for anybody and we'll let the facts play out and make sure that things are handled accordingly and move forward from there," he said.

Canadiens head coach Randy Cunneyworth had few details to offer.

"I know it was some sort of a game misconduct," he said. "I'm not sure what was said or how it was relayed or who exactly heard it. We're not aware of the exact words in any way and we don't think we'll ever find out."

"The bottom line is there is no room for that. Those things have to be (addressed immediately) and the referees are on the ball about those kinds of incidents," he said.

Shawn Matthias of the Panthers defended his teammate.

"You never want to see that and I know Barchy and I don't think that he's the type of guy that would do something of that nature," said Matthias, whose seventh goal of the season 3:08 into the third period broke a 1-all tie.

Added teammate Kris Versteeg: "I don't think we can comment on it because it's obviously a touchy subject, but Krys is a good guy and he means no harm."

Notes: With his assist on Tomas Fleischmann's tying goal in the second period, Stephen Weiss matched Olli Jokinen for the most assists in Panthers' history with 231. ... Fleischmann has scored three goals in two meetings with the Canadiens this season. ... Florida finished the month of December 5-2-1 on home ice. ... The Canadiens continue to struggle on the road as they fell to 9-11-1 away from home and are 0-2 against the Panthers this season.

Comments

[Jonosin]

06:24 AM on 01/03/2012

Damn Straight!

[Whistlejackett]

11:47 PM on 01/02/2012

In Canada we would call it Hate Speech not a racial slur. It's against the law up here. So when Canadian players go south they should respect that. That sort of thing isn't negotiable.

[Whistlejackett]

11:40 PM on 01/02/2012

Hey HuffPost, how about following the World Juniors! You want a hockey page so fill it up. IIFA

[garagehero]

08:59 PM on 01/02/2012

Canadian players are very racist, if a player happened to be Indian, he would be called everything in the book, and he would be pummeled by the white players as if they were still fighting the Indian Wars and it was 1870 or something. Engage your average white canadian in a discussion about Native candians, and you will here a list of invectives and insults which will make your ears bleed. There is even a hatred and racism toward French-Canadian players by white anglo-saxon or white english players. Ask a typical Newfoundland black player how many time he's been called racial names by the times he's reached Midget.....this is nothing new. Canadians in the cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver are cosmopolitan. But most Canadians are farmers whose racial ideas are like that of white Americans in the 1940s. Thats just the way it is.

[DandaPanda]

02:50 PM on 01/03/2012

when i go to horse shows in Canada i have noticed that i am treated quite well in big metro areas and quite poorly in outlying places.. What is nice though if you win a top 10 or championship in Canada an RCMP gives you your prize. Now some of those boyz are h.o.t.

[happyblackman]

04:55 PM on 01/02/2012

This is not the first time, and won't be the last. Suspend him, shame him and try to turn this into a teachable moment about tolerance.

[Whistlejackett]

12:21 AM on 01/03/2012

It isn't about tolerance, it's about ignorance and respect.

[Heracles]

03:09 PM on 01/02/2012

Subban is an instigator and a notorious flopper who gets under your skin but they should just fight him not call him names. That's how they settle differences in hockey.

[kandlefly]

12:47 PM on 01/02/2012

This is so funny, a Player gets suspended, people are making all sorts of comments, some for some against, but here is the best part of the whole issue. With all the comments everybody is making, they all are saying they don't know what was said.

[Judge Smails]

10:29 AM on 01/02/2012

"Sticks and stones" But it's ok to have enforcers and fights.

[Jonosin]

06:24 AM on 01/03/2012

Damn Straight!

[pooanddoo]

09:38 AM on 01/02/2012

Was he called "African-Canadian?"

That is definitely a racial slur.

[lalusamedusa]

06:12 PM on 01/01/2012

I am 52. I was called that hate filled word. It will never be OK for anyone of any race to use that word. I don't care your color, height, weight or sex, I will always tell anyone, anywhere who uses that word that they are an ignorant fool. So save the if they can, we can argument for God. There is no excuse for using that word. Defending someone who uses the word makes you just as guilty

[bjreg3]

02:29 PM on 01/02/2012

what hate filled word, no one has reported what it was, or are you just reading something into nothing and trying to race bait?

[FiredUpRTG]

03:19 PM on 01/01/2012

Just play. Get over that anyone with two feet who practice hard enough can skate as well as you. Baby.

[BraveYusuf]

02:56 PM on 01/01/2012

I think, along with suspending and fining players for this sort of thing, what they said should be made public as well. The world should know who these bigots are in every sport so I don't have to end up wearing a Jersey of a guy that's racist..

[bjreg3]

02:33 PM on 01/02/2012

sure, so let's also get people to read minds, I'm sure yours isn't very clean, but everyone would know what you are.....a dope.

[subversive86]

02:47 PM on 01/01/2012

LOL.. it is always predictable that some will point out that members of the same race used the terms between themselves - why should that be different.. uhhh, because it is.

Similarly, I can greet my girlfriend by saying "Hi Sexy", her father may greet her by saying: "Hi beautiful" and her boss would be wise to understand that he cannot greet her by any of those terms.

It is being deliberately dense to pretend not to understand that context ~ matters.

It seems to me that the NHL is attempting to handle the matter sincerely. Being that only one individual has claimed to have heard the statement, in the end, he may be found to be the victim of a false accusation. Anywho, good effort from the NHL. I still will not be tuning in, but good for them.

[Whistlejackett]

11:49 PM on 01/02/2012

What, you don't like hockey? You must be a Yank.

[subversive86]

09:11 PM on 01/04/2012

Bayou born and bred. Geaux Saints!

[TommyMcCarthy]

11:22 PM on 01/03/2012

I'm really jealous of how simply you explained that, subversive.....because I've never had much luck doing so.....and you're right.....EVERY time this comes up some one will pop up with the time-tested
"yeah but how come "they" can say it...etc."

In the right mood...it can actually be comical to lay back, watch folks squirm...and maybe count how many times "they" and "them" are used in such a discussion....thus inadvertantly driving the whole point about racism home even further.

But the "right mood" is rare anymore.

Your "girlfriend" analogy is simple and elegant.

Should I have the misfortune to find myself in such a conversation again.....I intend to plagarize it shamelessly.

Well done...f/f
tm

[subversive86]

09:10 PM on 01/04/2012

Thank you.

[hottingers]

02:41 PM on 01/01/2012

Being from Canada, I can only think that his comment could be something like "My gosh, you're black, eh.

[FiredUpRTG]

03:20 PM on 01/01/2012

I thought all the black hockey players were from Canada, so this should not be a surprise to a player.

[Vetman2]

02:32 PM on 01/01/2012

you can call me any name under the sun in a sporting event. a racial slur, one individual, no problem. a team? problem. trying to psych someone out or trash talk, is a given. that would be my perspective. i would never let someone get "inside" my head. sometimes, all's fair in war and sporting events.