It isn't just that hockey is a boys club (it is). It isn't just that it's a predominately white sport and is often a space where people of colour aren't accepted or welcomed with open arms (though it is that too). It isn't about the sexism in hockey and the way women aren't made to feel safe in a lot of hockey spaces outside of the women's game. Hell, it isn't even that it's a cost prohibitive sport. It's that down at the very roots of this sport's culture grow from the rot of those things.

From an extremely young age, kids who want to play hockey but don't come from money are often priced out of competitive teams. They still play, sure. They can still have fun on their local team (if there is one), but they're missing out on the skating coaches, the trainers, the private sessions, the travel teams, etc. It's the kids who can afford those who tend to go further in the sport though. The kids who came from money already. The kids who have a parent who can take time off of work to travel with them (or maybe they have a parent who doesn't need to work at all).

For those who are good or great, they will often be shipped off to play junior hockey or a part of a development program. This usually involves leaving home at 16-17 years old and living with a billet family. Their entire lives are hockey. Yeah they technically go to school, but hockey comes first. Hockey also comes second. It comes third. Hockey is the most important part. They're trying to get drafted. They're trying to get noticed by a scout. They don't care about school. School isn't going to help them go pro.

Those junior teams still haze new players. Not funny pranks. Not making the rookies clean up the pucks. Not low stakes hazing. Kids have been sexually assaulted as a part of the hazing. They're verbally and physically abused. Literally last year there was a case where some players were charged with assault as a result of their hazing.

I haven't even gotten started on how much coaches and teammates have an impact on these kids. Often time they're spending as much time with their coaches are they are their own family. You can have the most loving, progressive, kind parents in the world but they aren't the only influence. Coaches are often the one's letting kids get away with abusive language, homophobia, racism, sexism, etc. In fact, coaches often partake in it! Queer kids who play hockey often leave the sport to avoid this kind of environment. Same with kids of colour.

The culture of the sport, especially in North America, is a real issue and it has been for years. Players know it — some are trying to fix it! It isn't a hopeless issue. There have been academic studies on the toxic culture. There have been books written on it.

If you're a new hockey fan, I would really encourage you to learn the history of the sport. Not in a gatekeeping way, but so you can be aware of the context around some of this stuff.