“In no way is it acceptable”: Blues coach Craig Berube speaks out on Nazem Kadri harassment

St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube responded to his “no comment” on the racist threats towards Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri from before Game 4.

“I’m not on social media,” said Berube in a press conference on Wednesday, “I was aware of a threat made to Nazem, not the racist stuff. In no way is it acceptable by the St. Louis Blues or anybody else for him to have to go through that. Being a Native American myself, I’ve heard it all, I’ve been around it. It’s not a good thing. So I just wanted to get that out there that there’s no room for it anywhere.”

The situation in question has been a growing situation throughout the second round series between the Blues and the Avalanche. It started in Game 3 when Kadri and Blues defenseman Calle Rosen ran into Jordan Binnington, injuring him and taking him out of the game and the series. Kadri then began to receive racist threats from Blues fans on social media, as well as getting targeted from the Blues players, both on the ice and, allegedly, off the ice.

Berube’s initial response to the situation before Game 4 was a simple “no comment” to the media, and the silence was deafening for a lot of hockey fans wanting changes on the issues of racism in the sport. It appears Berube was unaware of the grand scale of the situation, and believed he was only being asked about what had happened on the ice in Game 3.

Berube’s Blues face elimination going into Game 5, down 3-1 in the series to the Avalanche.