Multiple hockey leagues from across North America have united to launch the Respect Hockey Culture Center.
Seven hockey leagues from across North America announced on Wednesday they will unite to launch the Respect Hockey Culture Center.
The center is expected to be "a centralized platform which provides access for players, coaches, and employees to confidentially receive mental health support services and to report on incidents of bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination."
As of now, the leagues taking part in the initiative are the AHL, CHL (which includes the OHL, QMJHL and WHL), ECHL, Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and the United States Hockey League (USHL).
The initiative is being undertaken to help improve hockey's internalized culture and foster a safer and more respectful environment for players, staff, and fans. It comes in the weeks after both the NHL and WHL saw coaches lose their jobs for inappropriate behavior behind the scenes.
“We at the American Hockey League are thrilled to join our partners in the hockey community in welcoming the Respect Hockey Culture Center on our journey to create a comfortable and secure atmosphere throughout our sport," said Scott Howsen, president and CEO of the AHL, the NHL's top affiliate league.
“While our work is nowhere near complete, we will continue to push forward with our commitment to making our game a more welcoming, inclusive, and safe space.”
The center will be operated by REES Community, an independent third party that has mental health support systems available through the Canadian Centre for Mental Health in Sport.
“We are particularly excited about the centralized reporting and information platform at respecthockey.com that will be available to our players and staff – which will provide them with an accessible, confidential, and safe place to come forward if they feel they need to,” said CHL president Dan MacKenzie in a statement.
Players and staff in each of the member leagues are expected to get familiar with the center over the season.