Trans hockey club clarifies NHL ties to tournament after player leaves game with a concussion

A Massachusetts-based transgender hockey club has issued a statement clarifying the NHL’s role in a tournament last month after a transgender man reportedly suffered a concussion following contact with a transgender woman during one of the games. 

Team Trans Ice Hockey issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that the NHL did not organize the Team Trans Draft Tournament in Middleton, Wisconsin, last month, despite reports that it was a league-sponsored event. 

“In regards to the multiple articles circulating about our Team Trans Draft Tournament held on November 19th and 20th in Middleton, WI, we want to clear up a few statements that do not align with how this tournament played out,” the statement posted to Twitter read. 

PLAYER LEAVES ALL-TRANS HOCKEY GAME WITH CONCUSSION, WRITER SAYS

“While the NHL is supportive of providing accessibility to all organizations that love hockey, this tournament was organized by Team Trans – NOT the NHL, and was done with intentionality to create teams with even skill levels.”

The NHL posted a tweet last month in support of the tournament, calling it the first event of its kind, “comprised entirely of transgender and nonbinary players, with around 80 folks participating!” 

In response to one user who criticized the event, the league responded in a subsequent tweet: “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Nonbinary identity is real.”

The results of the tournament were not widely reported on until recently when video from the event surfaced showing a transgender man playing in the tournament exit the penalty box and fall into the boards after slight contact from a larger, transgender woman. 

According to reporter Jonathan Kay, who wrote for Quillette, the injured player suffered a concussion and was eventually taken off the ice on a stretcher after a 17-minute delay.  

“During the championship game, a player was injured,” Team Trans wrote its statement Wednesday. “Everyone who steps on the ice to play this sport knows there is a risk of injury. The injured player has recovered, and there is no ill will between the two players involved.” 

The report also raised concerns over the size difference between players. According to Kay, the winner of the tournament, which he described as a team “stacked with physically imposing biological men (i.e., trans women),” beat the runners up in a 7-1 rout.

But Team Trans disputed this in Wednesday’s statement. 

“Each player graded themself on skill, and was required to provide a coach’s referral with which we were able to confirm each player’s skill ability. Each team picked a certain number of players from each skill level. The vast majority of games throughout the tournament were all within a 1 or 2 goal difference, and the two teams in the championship game played each other prior to that game – ending in a tie.” 

According to Kay, the NHL has been “promoting and financing” Team Trans as part of its “Accelerating Diversity & Inclusion” initiative which looks to make hockey “more welcoming, inclusive, accessible, and socially conscious.”