A hacker posted a racial slur 45 times in an online fan video chat Friday with a black New York Rangers prospect.
The NHL team scrambled to disable the hacker it called “a vile individual” on the Zoom chat with K’Andre Miller, the 20-year-old former Wisconsin defenceman drafted No. 22 overall in 2018.
“We were incredibly appalled by this behaviour, which has no place online, on the ice, or anywhere, and we are investigating the matter,” the Rangers said in a statement.
The NHL also released a statement, saying:
“The National Hockey League is appalled that a video call arranged today by the New York Rangers to introduce their fans to one of the league’s incoming stars, K’Andre Miller, was hacked with racist, cowardly taunts.The person who committed this despicable act is in no way an NHL fan and is not welcome in the hockey community.
“No one deserves to be subjected to such ugly treatment and it will not be tolerated in our league. We join with the Rangers in condemning this disgusting behaviour.”
Miller recently signed with the Rangers after completing his sophomore season at Wisconsin. The 6-foot-5 defender is from St. Paul, Minn.