Both Andrew Shaw and the Chicago Blackhawks have addressed a controversial incident from Tuesday night, in which Shaw yelled a homophobic slur after receiving a late penalty in Chicago’s 4-3 loss.
You can read the full statements here.
Shaw -- who initially claimed he didn’t know what he said -- explained that, upon arriving home last night, he watched the video and “it was evident what I did was wrong.”
The 24-year-old then said he was “sincerely sorry for the insensitive remarks that I made,” before apologizing to the gay and lesbian community, the Blackhawks organization and fans.
“I know my words were hurtful,” Shaw said in closing. “I will learn from my mistakes.”
Andrew Shaw: "I have no excuses for anything. I'll never use that word again, that's for sure." #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/u2yjRTDgS8
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) April 20, 2016
As for the Blackhawks, they said they were “extremely disappointed” in Shaw’s actions, noting his remarks “do not reflect what we stand for as an organization.”
The club went on to cite its support of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association and You Can Play Project -- the latter of which took immediate issue with Shaw’s actions last night, prompting this tweet:
We are aware of tonight's incident and will be reaching out to the NHL immediately to assist in an appropriate response.
— You Can Play (@YouCanPlayTeam) April 20, 2016
On Wednesday, the NHL confirmed an investigation into the incident. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said as much in an email to the Chicago Tribune, but noted the league “can’t comment on it until that process is complete.”
It’s unclear if the Blackhawks are considering a club-issued punishment for Shaw.