Despite Hockey N.L. ban, some teams have kept post-game handshakes

Some hockey teams in Newfoundland and Labrador have continued post-game handshakes despite the tradition's elimination by the sport's provincial governing body.

In some of the first games back from the holiday break, posts on Facebook indicate that some teams in the province are continuing to shake hands after games. Some of those teams play in the Port aux Basques Minor Hockey Association, and president Brock Seaward says he knows of some teams that have shaken hands after their games and some that haven't.

"It's tradition, and it's hard to break tradition. And it's hard to understand when people tell us we have to break tradition, especially if it's a tradition that's surrounding such a, you know, good sportsmanship-type of activity or procedure."

Citing incidents that led to the suspension of players and coaches, Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador axed the post-game handshake before the Christmas break, a decision that made international headlines, and said handshakes would take place before games instead. Even N.L. Premier Andrew Furey weighed in, criticizing the ruling for eliminating an opportunity to teach sportsmanship.

Seaward said teams in his association didn't have enough concern about post-game violence for their executive to decide whether it was for or against Hockey N.L.'s decision, he said.

"But the way that we play it is that if we're told by HNL to, you know, follow a specific set of rules — well, being a member of HNL I guess we are expected to follow the rules," he told CBC News. "It's all in place for a reason."

The handshake ruling was a hot-button issue among the Port aux Basques hockey community, he said, and many people disagree with the decision and don't understand Hockey N.L.'s reasoning. 

"I