Islanders: Anders Lee Speaks Out On George Floyd’s Murder
New York Islanders Captain and Minnesota native, Anders Lee spoke out on the murder of George Floyd in a statement on Twitter.
On October 4, 2018, Anders Lee was named as the captain of the New York Islanders. If you remember it was announced on the day their season got started against the Carolina Hurricanes and in the pregame show the camera cut to him putting on that jersey with the “C” on his chest beaming from ear to ear with a smile.
Since then, Anders Lee has been nothing but an excellent leader both on and off the ice. Today, was no different from what we’ve seen over the last 18 months.
Lee’s a native of Edina, Minnesota which is roughly 10 miles from where an awful tragedy took place on May 25. George Floyd was a victim of police brutality, and his life was cut prematurely.
Lee shared a statement on Twitter condemning what happened to Mr. Floyd and asking for justice:
Powerful words from our Captain. Nick Leddy and Brock Nelson are also from Minnesota, as a number of other NHL players are from the area as well. Lee is the first Islander to use his platform to speak out, outside of the team releasing this more vague statement this morning:
The Islanders have endorsed Anders Lee’s message, saying “We stand with our captain.”
It’s important for NHL players, in a league that preaches hockey is for everyone, to continue to use their platform to speak out on injustices and equality. American’s are hurting right now, it’s obvious, and having as many athletes and people with platforms be allies to the cause can only help enact real change.
If you’re looking to help, here are some ways to get involved.