CHICAGO _ The racial taunts four fans directed at the Capitals' Devante Smith-Pelly on Saturday night at the United Center left the Blackhawks forward Anthony Duclair disappointed but "not really shocked."
"Happens so often, not only in hockey, not only in sports, but in society as a whole," Duclair said Monday afternoon before the Hawks faced the Kings at the United Center. "You'd think there would be some change after some years, especially (after the NHL) came out with the ad, 'Hockey Is for Everyone.'
"How do I feel? ... If they were Blackhawks fans, they would know there's a black player on their team. These four people think a certain way, and it's not just those four people. It's a lot more. There's a lot more racism than you guys think that's going on."
A Hawks official said Monday afternoon that the four people who were ejected Saturday no longer are welcome to attend games at the United Center.
"Racist comments and other inappropriate behavior are not tolerated by the Chicago Blackhawks," a team statement said.
Duclair, the only black player on the Hawks and one of fewer than 30 in the NHL, said he endured his fair share of such taunts while growing up, including name-calling and gestures directed at him.
He said he didn't feel he had the voice then to speak out and kept the taunts mostly to himself.
"As a kid you don't know how to react; (you) sort of put it under the rug," Duclair said. "Now you have a voice, you want to speak up, make sure it's not OK. Whether it happens to Devante Smith-Pelly or a random guy on the street, you should be comfortable in your own skin and your own gender and nationality, your religion, your beliefs. Everyone's equal. Everyone should love each other."
Duclair said he felt comfortable saying that every black NHL player had been subjected to "some sort of racism."
Teammate Patrick Kane called the behavior of the fans who were ejected Saturday "terrible."
"There's no place for any of that in society or at sporting events," Kane said. "I don't think any of us are too fond to be reported in that, even though it's at a Blackhawks game. There's not much you can really do except try to defend Smith-Pelly and whoever's in that situation."
Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said the behavior of the four fans _ who Smith-Pelly said taunted him with chants of "basketball, basketball, basketball" _ was "totally unacceptable."
Quenneville said he apologized to Smith-Pelly, the Capitals and coach Barry Trotz.
Duclair said he spoke with Smith-Pelly after the game Saturday. He added Monday that he was proud of Smith-Pelly for standing up for himself.
Smith-Pelly was in the penalty box during the third period when the incident occurred.
"(Hockey is) obviously a white sport," Duclair said. "You just want to compete and do what you love every day. (I) know there's some ignorant people in this world. You've got to deal with that. ... I'm glad it was caught on camera and that Devo actually spoke out. It's unacceptable."
