The Florida Panthers held a moment of silence before their game against the Nashville Predators to honor the victims from the shooting at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Several Panthers players also voiced their support on social media, but Panthers defenseman Michael Matheson added a special tribute to his skates.
We stand with our community. #FLL ❤️ pic.twitter.com/WZEgMVNUTC
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) January 7, 2017
Matheson’s tribute is awesome. Even the smallest of gestures can go a long way for those involved.
Meanwhile, it’s also pretty awesome how the NHL respects and allows these kinds of tributes. Other leagues – OK, the NFL – would have handed out a fine to a player modifying their uniform or displaying a message. Thankfully the NFL isn’t the NHL and players such as Matheson are able to publicly display their support.