Dropping the gloves: Hockey N.L. to eliminate post-game handshakes

Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador announced in a memo to community associations on Wednesday that it will eliminate post-game handshakes beginning in the new year, citing incidents that have led to the suspension of players and coaches.

The memo doesn't get into specifics, but Hockey N.L.'s minor council executive committee chair Gonzo Bennett said the post-game handshake will be replaced with a pre-game handshake. Teams will be directed to their dressing rooms by referees after a game is over.

CBC News has asked Hockey N.L. executive director Craig Tulk for comment.

Stephanie Jones, a Torbay mother whose seven-year-old daughter plays for the Northeast Eagles, said she and other parents are upset by the decision. 

She said the handshake line serves as an opportunity to teach sportsmanship and other life lessons that extend beyond hockey.

"The big issue with removing the post-game handshake is that [we're] teaching the kids about respect," Jones told CBC News Thursday.

"Removing the post game handshake, it's not going to deter the bad behaviour from the players that are showing and exhibiting the bad behaviour. It's just going to remove it from that post-game handshake lineup, and move it to the locker room or outside of the rink."

Jones said she hasn't seen any such incidents herself, but said there could have been better avenues to take to deal with them — like suspensions for instigators and removing players from teams if the behaviour continued.

She believes players are losing out because of the actions of a select few individuals and the ruling doesn't send a good message.

"It just seems like we're broadly painting the entire Hockey Newfoundland community with one brush, that we're unable to hold this respectful