Hockey PEI suspends player for anti-Asian remark aimed at opponent

Hockey PEI has another incident on its hands involving racial slurs, this time an anti-Asian remark aimed at a player at the Junior B level.

On Wednesday, Hockey PEI issued a two-game suspension to a 19-year-old member of the Kensington Vipers.

It was for comments the player made to a member of the Sherwood Metros during a Dec. 17 game in Kensington.

"Because this issue is racial in nature and obviously severe… this case has moved right to the top," Hockey PEI executive director Connor Cameron told CBC News.

The incident ws investigated by Hockey PEI's Discipline and Ethics Committee after the governing body received a written complaint from the victim on Dec. 18. 

The investigation included interviews with that player and his coach, as well as referees and linesmen officiating at the Dec. 17 game. There was also a Jan. 3 interview by videoconference with the offending player and the team manager of the Kensington Vipers.

"The person who made the mistake was very remorseful — continues to be remorseful," said Cameron. "That does not change the impact of his words on the victim."

The latest incident came just weeks after Hockey PEI was asked to investigate racial incidents during a November tournament involving a young Black player from Nova Scotia.

Mark Connors, the player who was targeted by those remarks, has said he thinks Hockey PEI is moving too slowly with its examination of what happened. 

Hockey PEI defends its process, saying it expects to receive a report later this month from a third-party independent investigator who has been looking into the matter.

"We quite quickly realized that Mark Connors deserved maybe more expertise in the investigation department than we could provide," said Cameron. "So we turned that over to a third party… and we will address that report publicly once it comes to fruition."

One player on the Sherwood Metros isn't happy with how Hockey PEI handled the incident involving his teammate at that game in Kensington.

Keegan Mitchell took matters into his own hands the night of the game — breaking his stick over the offending player's leg — and earned himself an automatic two-game suspension.

"I would say it was bad... I take the consequences for that," said Mitchell, who had earned 52 penalty minutes before the season was halted Dec. 17 due to COVID. "But when I look at the other guy's suspension that's the same as mine, it just kind of makes me sick."