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Flyers rally around teammate Wayne Simmonds after racial incident in Canada

DETROIT - The Flyers are rallying around teammate Wayne Simmonds, the right winger at the center of an apparent racial incident during Thursday night's exhibition game in London, Ontario.

Wayne Simmonds scored two goals, one during the shootout, on Thursday. (Dave Chidley/AP/The Canadian Press)
Wayne Simmonds scored two goals, one during the shootout, on Thursday. (Dave Chidley/AP/The Canadian Press)Read more

DETROIT - The Flyers are rallying around teammate Wayne Simmonds, the right winger at the center of an apparent racial incident during Thursday night's exhibition game in London, Ontario.

Simmonds, 23, one of the few black players in the NHL, had a banana thrown at him from the stands as he went in on a breakaway to start the shootout against Detroit. Simmonds scored, but the Flyers lost the game, 4-3.

Simmonds said after the game - and again on Friday after the morning skate in Detroit - that he wants to move past the incident and not rehash it anymore.

"There's no point talking about it," Simmonds said. "I'd rather focus on hockey. I came to Philadelphia to play hockey, not to talk about stuff like that."

His teammates, however, responded with anger over the incident

"It kind of makes you sick to your stomach that someone would be that disrespectful at a venue like that - and disrespect Wayne like that," winger James van Riemsdyk said. "There's no place for that, no matter where it is."

"It's a sad thing this could happen in 2011," said winger Jaromir Jagr, who made his Flyers debut Friday, playing in an exhibition against the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.

Van Riemsdyk applauded Simmonds for the way he was handling a difficult situation and called him a "great character guy."

"He's taking it in stride, but obviously I'm sure he's disappointed when something like that happens," van Riemsdyk said.

Added van Riemsdyk: "We have his back."

New Flyers forward Max Talbot said the incident was "disturbing and disgusting at the same time, but it's one person [who threw the banana]. It's not like it reflects the whole crowd. And obviously, you see the reaction from around the league" and how they are supporting Simmonds.

Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, issued a statement in which he tried to put a positive spin on things.

"We have millions of great fans who show tremendous respect for our players and for the game," he said. "The obviously stupid and ignorant action by one individual is in no way representative of our fans or the people of London, Ontario."

Joe Fontana, London's mayor, agreed, and issued a statement apologizing to Simmonds and the Flyers.

Former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes, now a hockey broadcaster, tweeted his disappointment. Weekes is black.

"We've taken HUGE steps to Grow the game of hockey, as I speak Willie O'Ree (the NHL's first black player) and I are in D.C. attending the Black Congressional Caucus on behalf of the #NHL & ironically This takes place:(," he tweeted. "There's no place for this in sports since sports connects us, not divides us."

Later in the day, Weekes told the Washington Post he had a banana thrown at him when he was playing for Carolina in a 2002 playoff game in Montreal.

"I couldn't say then what I really wanted to say now because I was playing," Weekes told the Post. "Simmonds handled it classy because he kind of diffused it, and I did the same thing. He's young and at the front of his career.

"For me, I now have the freedom of speech. I don't have to worry about, 'OK, well, now I'm not going to start for five games or I'm not going to get that contract.' Those days are over. I can be that voice."

After Thursday's game, many of the Flyers gave Simmonds encouragement, including Talbot.

"He's a smart kid, and he knows it's an isolated incident," Talbot said.

Defenseman Braydon Coburn echoed those thoughts.

"I know for the most part, we have great fans," he said. "I think it's one idiot being an idiot, which is usually the case. Wayne's a great guy and teammate and of course we have his back."

Simmonds, who sat out Friday's exhibition, said his teammates have been "unbelievable" toward him. "From day one when I came here, I was accepted by all the players on the team. Everyone in here is a great guy and I'm excited to be here."

Coburn was impressed by Simmonds' effort after the banana sailed past him and he went in on Detroit goalie Jordan Pearce.

"Pretty impressive concentration by 'Simmer' to score that goal," Coburn said. "He said he saw [the banana] in the corner of his eye, but he didn't even break stride. Pretty good skills by him."

Watch a video

of Flyers

forward Wayne Simmonds talking about Thursday's incident at www.philly.com/simmondsEndText