Comments by Mike Milbury, an NHL broadcaster for NBC Sports, were condemned by the NHL on Friday. The league called the remarks “insensitive and insulting.”
Late in Thursday’s playoff game between the Islanders and Capitals, Milbury commented, “Not even any woman here to disrupt your concentration.”
Milbury was referencing a bubble setup in Toronto for Eastern Conference teams that qualified for the postseason. Outside of players and coaches, only a handful of team and league officials are allowed inside the bubble. Families were among those excluded from the bubble, which is why some players, most notably Bruins goalie Tukka Rask, decided to opt not to remain in the bubble.
A similar bubble was made in Edmonton for Western Conference playoff teams.
Milbury was originally slated to be on the broadcast for Friday's playoff game between Montreal and Philadelphia. He is no longer listed as part of the broadcast team.
The NHL issued the following statement on Friday:
"The National Hockey League condemns the insensitive and insulting comment that Mike Milbury made during last night's broadcast and we have communicated our feelings to NBC. The comment did not reflect the NHL's values and commitment to making our game more inclusive and welcoming to all."
Milbury played 12 seasons with the Boston Bruins following by coaching stints with the Bruins and Islanders.
