On Friday, Akim Aliu, a former NHL player, blasted Eric Trump for a tweet he made praising NHL players for standing during the National Anthem during an exhibition game.
Trump tweeted out thanks to the NHL for players standing. He also shared a clip of the exhibition game between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers.
“Yo, real talk @erictrump, you’re the last guy the NHL and the hockey world want support from. It’s not real patriotism if you’re using it to divide us,” Aliu wrote.
Yo, real talk @erictrump, you’re the last guy the NHL and the hockey world want support from. It’s not real patriotism if you’re using it to divide us. https://t.co/48prOV1hXO
— Akim Aliu (@Dreamer_Aliu78) July 31, 2020
The majority of NHL players stood during the National Anthem as the season kicked off. Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild was the only player to take a knee.
Dumba knelt before the opening game between the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks. Black players Malcolm Subban of the Blackhawks and Darnell Nurse of the Oilers each stood with a hand on one of his shoulders.
“Racism is everywhere, and we need to fight against it,” Dumba said. “We will fight against injustice and fight for what is right. I hope this inspires a new generation of hockey players and hockey fans because Black lives matter, Breonna Taylor’s life matters. Hockey is a great game, but it could be a whole lot greater, and it starts with all of us.”
