Chapter Text
TMZ
BREAKING: NHL PLAYER GROUP CHATS LEAKED
By TMZ STAFF
Published May 3, 2023 7:45 AM EDT
Early this morning, messages exchanged in group chats between the players of multiple professional hockey teams were posted to reddit by an anonymous user.
So far, four teams have been identified as being part of the breach: the Vegas Knights, the Montreal Metros, the Toronto Guardians, and the Ottawa Centaurs.
This is a developing story. TMZ will continue to update with any additional team identifications, as well as what the content of the messages will mean for the league moving forward.
The headline hits Shane with all the subtlety of a bomb.
He’s picking up the phone to call Harris before he can really even process what he’s doing.
The call goes to voicemail, which Shane would have anticipated if he hadn’t been so busy spiraling.
Fuck.
His phone lights up with an incoming call.
Not Harris, but Ilya.
Shane is caught between panic and relief as he answers.
“Моя любовь.” Ilya says in greeting. “They did not have fresh basil at the supermarket, so I am going to a different one. Will be home later than expected.”
“Ilya.” Shane says and there must be something in the tone of his voice because Ilya does not respond right away.
“Shane.” He says after a beat, voice measured. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Shane can feel his throat tightening.
“Shane, I am pulling over.” Ilya says and Shane can hear the faint crunch of gravel under tires. “Talk to me, please солнышко.”
“The news…” Shane manages to get out before he can’t say anything else. He screws his eyes shut and rests his forehead on the cool granite of the kitchen countertop.
The line is once again silent. Shane assumes his husband is now frantically googling their names.
“Fuck.” Ilya says softly. “Shane I am going to come home now.”
“No, it’s fine.” Shane chokes out a lie. The polite Canadian in him still wanting to prevent Ilya’s errands from being interrupted.
Ilya does not argue. “Breathe Shane.”
He’s trying, he really is, but he’s having a hard time keeping his head above water.
He hears as Ilya pulls back onto the street. “Think about what we will need to pack for road trip next month.”
This year they had set aside a chunk of the off-season for a road trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.
Shane had always wanted to visit, but because that part of the country had no NHL teams, the logistics were more complicated.
The plan was to fly in right after the cup finals. There were no direct flights from Ottawa, so that’d have to make a stop in Chicago before they could get to Bozeman. Once there, they would rent a car to take them through Montana and Wyoming (a practical car that could fit all their luggage). They’d spend a couple weeks stateside and come home right before NHL Awards Night.
Shane already had a very extensive spreadsheet and planning document, which included detailed tables listing the best and worst times for certain hikes and attractions.
When Shane had first pitched the idea, it wasn’t the chance to see unique natural beauty or even the rare opportunity to spend time alone together that made Ilya say yes.
“I used to say I hate French, but I have changed my mind.”
“Ilya…”
“Les Trois Tétons means the three breasts, Shane.”
“Ilya—”
“Grand Teton means big breast. My gay husband wants to take me on a road trip to see giant boobs during pride month.”
“Oh my god.”
The memory is enough to momentarily pull Shane away from the current crisis.
He clenches his fists, fingernails leaving crescent-shaped marks on the palms of his hands.
“I will be home in fifteen minutes.” Ilya’s voice cuts through Shane’s thoughts.
He takes a breath.
Ilya is there in ten.
[Excerpt]
Man in the Crease Podcast
SPECIAL EPISODE: The NHL Chat Leaks
May 4, 2023
Transcript:
Conor: Well Sean, I would say good morning, but I think a lot of people in the hockey world are having the opposite of that right now.
Sean: That’s putting it lightly.
Conor: Welcome to a special episode of Man in the Crease. For any listeners that have no idea what we’re talking about, let us get you up to speed.
Sean: Yesterday it was reported that four NHL teams had their team group chats plastered across the internet for all to see, that number has now grown to six.
Conor: The teams impacted are Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver on the Canadian side, and Vegas and Utah in the US. And before we get much further, I think we need to address the two very different conversations that people are having right now.
Sean: Definitely.
Conor: The first is about the act itself. Whatever individual or organization was able to get access to these messages just violated the privacy of a whole lot of people.
Sean: Everyone here at Man in the Crease can agree that people deserve the right to privacy, and that includes professional hockey players.
Conor: Absolutely, we saw how a breach of privacy can play out with the Hollander and Rozanov situation a few years back.
Sean: From the chatter I’ve seen online, most people seem to condemn the leaks themselves.
Conor: But now that the messages are out there, people are looking at them, which brings us to the second—and in my opinion—far more interesting conversation: the content of the messages.
Sean: I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say some of what we’ve seen is potentially career ending.
Conor: Forget that, some of it is downright admission of criminal activity.
Sean: Conor and I, as well as the producers, have spent the last 24 hours combing through the messages that we have so far so that we can give you the CliffsNotes version of what each team has inadvertently revealed about their locker room culture.
Conor: I’m going to be honest Sean, it will be hard to look at some of these teams in the same way as we head into playoffs.
Sean: Yeah, I would not want to be a PR manager for the NHL right now.
Conor: We’ll start off with a deep-dive into Montreal’s messages, after a quick word from our sponsor.
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Meeting Request
EMERGENCY MEETING
Time: Wednesday, May 4, 2023 10:00am-11:00am EDT
Location: Ottawa Centaurs Front Office
Accept Tentative Decline Propose New Time
Two-thirds of the team is already seated around the large oval conference table when Ilya and Shane arrive at Centaurs HQ.
The meeting request had only been sent a few hours before, but it is clear by their punctuality that everyone present understands the gravity of the situation.
Harris, Coach Weibe, and a woman Shane recognizes as one of the team’s lawyers stand near the far end of the table. Harris looks like he hasn’t slept in a week. He gives Troy a smile that is mostly a grimace when the latter presses a warm cup of coffee into his hands.
Two chairs sit empty between Wyatt and Luca. The goalie picks nervously at a hangnail while Luca is pale as a ghost.
Shane and Ilya take their seats and Shane glances over at Luca before giving the younger player what he hopes is a reassuring smile.
He understands, perhaps more than anyone, the cocktail of emotions currently being felt in this room.
Shane is much calmer than he was yesterday, or at least he puts on the appearance of being unfazed.
But he’s not relaxed.
He’s numb.
And he feels like an idiot.
Following the FanMail video heard around the world, Shane had been lulled into a false sense of security. The biggest secret he’d ever had was suddenly public knowledge and he was forced to deal with the consequences. Surviving the ordeal had made him a little fearless, like he had nothing left to lose.
After all, lightning never strikes the same place twice, right?
Wrong.
“Now that everyone’s here, let’s get started.” Coach Weibe says. “Based on what I’m seeing, I’m assuming everyone already knows why we had to call this meeting.”
“How the fuck did someone hack our group chat?” Troy says, still standing. “It wasn’t even the official one.”
Most NHL teams that Shane knew of had at least two group chats. This first was the official one created by management and included coaching staff as well as players. It was mostly used for scheduling and any announcements that might be time sensitive, such as a last-minute flight gate change. The second was the “unofficial” chat. The one made by players, for players, and included trash-talking the opposition, inside jokes, and just generally the sorts of conversations one would have with their friends.
Shane had never been big on group chats, but he liked being a part of the Cens team chat—currently sporting the affectionate name ‘Proud Dad (Captain) of a Few Dumbass Kids.’ Montreal’s group chat had been… less, by every possible metric. But with everything Shane experienced after coming out to his old team, he’s starting to believe there was likely a third Metros chat that he and his few friends on the team had not been included in.
“The NHL’s cybersecurity team is still working to figure that out.” Coach says in response to Troy’s question. “But what we as the Ottawa Centaurs organization have to deal with right now is the fact that the messages are out there and people are reading them.”
Weibe lets out a sigh. “I’m not upset with any of you, it was nothing anyone here did wrong. But we—” He gestures pointedly towards the lawyer. “—Would rather be told about anything potentially damaging upfront, rather than be blindsided by it later.”
“How much was leaked?” Shane hears himself asking.
Harris finally speaks. “At least a year’s worth—most likely a lot more, stuff is still being posted as we speak.”
Angry murmurs spread across the table.
“Блять” Ilya hisses under his breath.
“How am I supposed to remember every message I’ve sent in the past year?” Young moans. “I barely remember what I had for breakfast this morning!”
“Last week I called Crowell a coward and said that next time he goes on stage to speak I hope he shits his pants.” Ilya says with a shrug. “Probably said some other things too.”
Harris folds one arm across his chest and uses the other to pinch the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezed shut, probably wishing that when he opens them he’ll magically wake up from this nightmare.
“We’re all pretty… unfiltered in there.” Wyatt says diplomatically.
“I’ll be blunt: any admission of crimes?” Coach Weibe says.
Shane frowns.
“You mean like when these fuckers broke into my truck and stole my Bluetooth speaker?” Dykstra says, pointing an accusatory finger at Holmberg, LaPointe, and Young.
“Not our fault you left it unlocked!” LaPointe fires back.
“Haasy was too polite to drink where he was not legal.” Ilya says.
Luca practically jumps at the mention of his name. “I—yeah.”
“I really don’t think there’s anything coach.” Bood starts, verbalizing exactly what Shane had just been thinking. “Sure, there’s plenty of less-than-kind words about other teams and players who honestly probably deserved it, but nothing that anybody’s going to jail over.”
Harris visibly deflates and Coach Weibe nods. “That’s what I like to hear.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that we’ve talked about private shit in there, hopes, dreams, fears, relationships, all of it. Things that I’d rather random internet users not know about.” Troy points out.
All attention in the room suddenly swings to Shane’s right where someone has let out a broken sob.
Shane turns to see Luca, looking even worse than he had just a few minutes ago.
Ilya is up in an instant, moving to crouch down on Luca’s other side, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, whole team is here, yes? Everything will be okay.”
A few of the other players look confused by Luca’s reaction.
“Haasy, man, you’re even nicer than Hollander. Out of all of us, you’ll be fine.” Wyatt says
“Very true.” Ilya says. “Underage drinking was just a joke, I’m sorry if it upset you.”
And suddenly Shane remembers what he probably should have remembered from the beginning as he locks eyes with his husband.
“Ilya… Luca just got outted.”
r/professional hockey • 1day ago
anonymoususer_1305
Ottawa Centaurs Group Chat – Part 19
Proud Dad (Captain) to a Few Dumbass Kids
January 23, 2022
LaPointe
Hypothetical question...
What would you say is a valid reason to break up with someone?
Troy
Yeah, sure. Hypothetical.
LaPointe
Fuck off Barrett.
Young
YOU BROKE UP WITH SHELBY???
Bergy
Ngl, she was kinda outta your league.
Captain
lp tell me of your troubles i will fix
Hollander
Who’s Shelby?
Captain
yes why do you not tell your parents you are seeing a girl
LaPointe
Oh my god.
You do know you’re not ACTAULLY my dads right? My real dad definitely knows.
Captain
:(
Hollander
Apologize to your father.
LaPointe
Jesus Christ
Sorry Cap.
Captain
:)
all is forgiven
LaPointe
But back to what I was asking. What do you guys think are ok reasons to break up with someone?
Hollander
Beyond the obvious reasons like cheating, abuse, or a difference in life goals?
LaPointe
Yeah.
Like if you found out your SO was a murderer or something.
Young
DID SHELBY KILL SOMEONE???
LaPointe
NO
I’m just trying to figure out where the line is.
Troy
And your first thought was murder?
Captain
would not divorce shane if i found out he was murderer
would help him bury the body 😈
Troy
Man who is absolutely whipped says least surprising thing ever, more at 11.
Hollander
Ignore my husband. LP, why don’t you just tell us why you broke up with Shelby and we can tell you what we think?
LaPointe
Ok, yeah.
So we went out for dinner for the other night and at first it was great. Good food, good conversation. And usually when we go out, I pay.
Captain
lp the gentleman
LaPointe
Anyway, this time around she offered, but as we were getting up to leave I saw the check and noticed she didn’t leave a tip…
Idk, it just kinda gave me the ick and I’m trying to figure out if I’m overreacting.
Bood
Is she Canadian?
LaPointe
Originally from the states, actually.
Haasy
Tipping in Switzerland is not viewed as mandatory like it is here, so it took me a minute to get used to.
But if she is from the US she should know.
LaPointe
Exactly. And we didn’t get bad service or anything. Our waiter was great, funny, food came on time, nothing was made wrong.
Hollander
Did you ask her about it?
LaPointe
I tried to, but she just seemed pissed that I’d noticed.
Bood
Weird…
LaPointe
I should clarify that I haven’t broken up with her, yet. I’m just thinking about it.
Hayes
I get it. I once broke up with a girl because she told me that she thought comic books were for children.
Hollander
No one can decide this for you, but if you want my advice, go with your gut. If what happened killed the romance for you, or if you feel like your morals aren’t aligned then things probably won’t work out long-term.
Haasy
A similar thing happened with me and my first boyfriend. He used to watch ahead in shows that we’d started together. When I tried to talk to him about it, he said he didn’t understand why I cared so much since it wasn’t like I was paying attention anyways (because I draw while I watch TV).
Bood
Cassie would literally kill me if I did that. You start a show together, you finish it together, everyone knows that’s the rule.
Bergy
Your ex sounds kinda mean Haasy.
Captain
haasy and lp you both need to find people who are not assholes
Haasy
Working on it 😭
LaPointe
Shelby isn’t an asshole, that’s why I don’t get it.
But I’ll keep you guys posted on how things work out.
Captain
❤️
Dykstra
Goddamn it, I take a nap and suddenly I miss all the good stuff.
The entire team is put on a social media blackout.
Shane knows it’s for the best.
Frankly, he’d rather not look at a phone screen at all for at least the next week.
He’s sitting in the passenger seat of the Jeep while Ilya drives them home.
Luca Haas sitting in the back.
“I cannot let him be alone, Shane.” Ilya had said, and Shane is inclined to agree with him.
He really feels for the kid. Shane never wished what happened to him and Ilya on anyone, but here history was—repeating itself.
And unlike Shane who had his family, and the fact that he and Ilya had each other, Luca doesn’t have anyone who isn’t halfway across the planet.
No one put up a fight when Ilya suggested he stay in one of their guest rooms, the team harboring collective guilt over the fact that none of them realized what the leak meant for their youngest player.
But in their defense, being the gayest team in the league meant they sometimes forgot queerness wasn’t normalized everywhere else. To the Centaurs, Luca was just Luca, but to the rest of the world he was now just one of a handful of gay professional hockey players.
Ilya pulls into the driveway and throws the SUV in park. Shane glances at his husband and then turns to look to the backseat where Luca has been quiet the entire ride.
“We’re here.” Shane says, even though it’s obvious.
Luca unbuckles his seatbelt and opens the car door, still not uttering a word as he steps out.
Shane has another silent conversation with Ilya. He can almost hear his husband say: don’t push, he will speak when he is ready.
Shane and Ilya both exit the vehicle, Ilya walking ahead so he can unlock the front door. The door swings inward and Anya dashes out, tail wagging as Ilya crouches down to greet her.
She gives a few curious sniffs of Luca’s shoes before turning her attention to Shane.
“Hey girl.” Shane says as she licks a stripe along his pants.
“Come, make yourself at home.” Ilya says and ushers Luca further into the house.
It occurs to Shane then as he follows and closes the door behind them, that Luca doesn’t have anything with him. One didn’t usually pack an overnight bag for a team meeting.
So, while Ilya rambles, filling the silence where Luca cannot, Shane makes himself busy gathering everything he thinks the kid will need and leaving it in one of the guest bedrooms before returning to where Ilya has gotten Haasy settled in the living room.
“What do you want for lunch Luca?” Ilya is asking. “I can make sandwiches, or we could order something. There is Thai place nearby that Shane likes.”
“I’m not hungry.” Luca says as he stares at the carpet.
“I know, but it is still important to eat.”
The younger player says nothing for several long moments before he finally looks their way. “I’m sorry, I-I’m not trying to be rude—”
“Is okay.” Ilya says in that gentle, disarming way of his. “I am going to make sandwiches for Shane and I, you can let us know when you want something.”
Ilya turns and leaves the room; Shane moves to follow but he hesitates.
“It’s going to be okay.” Shane says in the direction of where Luca is slumped onto the sofa. “People told me that, and even though I didn’t believe them at the time, they were right in the end. So, I’m telling you, no matter how much you feel like your world is falling apart, how angry and upset you feel right now—you will be okay.”
Luca doesn’t respond and Shane doesn’t expect him to.
Shane turns and makes his way towards the kitchen where Ilya is busying himself collecting sandwich fixings from the refrigerator.
“I feel awful.” Shane admits as he drops onto a barstool.
“Could be worse.” Ilya says, shutting the fridge door with an elbow now that his hands are full. “Could have been filmed kissing his Russian rival in Hayden Pike’s backyard.”
“Ha. Ha.” Shane says flatly.
But he knows Ilya is right.
All the internet knows is that Luca has, at some point in his life, had a boyfriend. And while this still marks him as queer, it doesn’t provide any sort of identifying details. Retaining some privacy is better than none, Shane thinks.
He doesn’t like the ugly part of him that is grateful to not be the center of a scandal for once, grateful that he can focus on this problem instead of the abundance of others that these group chat leaks have definitely caused, grateful that he can worry about Luca instead of agonizing over every text message he can and can’t remember sending.
“Your usual?” Ilya asks as he puts four slices of bread into the toaster oven.
“Oh. Yeah.” Shane says. Once upon a time he might have insisted that he could make his own food, but he knows better than to suggest something like that now. When Ilya gets into hospitality mode there is little anyone can do to stop him.
And Shane can’t deny that he likes that Ilya knows him so well—knows that he finds the presence of tomatoes on a sandwich to be a textural nightmare, knows exactly what brand of sourdough Shane prefers, and knows that the bread should only ever be lightly toasted and not buttered.
Ilya pulls a skillet out of the cupboards and places it on the stovetop.
Shane frowns. “What’s that for?”
“Grilled cheese, for Luca.” Ilya says, turning on the heat.
“He didn’t say he wanted anything.”
“He will.” Ilya says. His words are confident—but not arrogant—just a marker of the way Ilya has learned to quietly anticipate the needs of those around him the same way he’s learned to sense when a puck is being passed his way.
Once lunch is assembled, they return to the living room.
Shane would normally frown at eating on the couches, but given the unusual circumstances, he’s willing to make an exception.
He pretends not to look as Ilya wordlessly offers the grilled cheese to Luca who stares at it like it’s the pages of a book written in a foreign language.
And then finally, Shane watches with relief as Luca carefully takes the plate, silent tears sliding down his cheeks.
[Excerpt]
The New York Times
NHL Chat Leaks – One Week In
Published May 10th, 2023
By Susan Manzo
Next up are the Montreal Metros, an original six team with a proud legacy and three Stanley Cups in the last decade.
Though their storied history might now be tainted by messages that reveal abusive management, homophobia, racism, and an extremely toxic locker room culture.
Many fans have taken to social media to demand the resignation of head coach Jacques Theriault after seeing messages that accuse him of physically assaulting his players.
3/20/22
Tom Schneider
Damn rook, I didn’t realize San Jose boarded you that hard.Fredrik Olsson
They didn’t, coach knocked him around a bit after he missed that goal at the end of the third period.
Bigotry runs rampant in the Metros group chat, perpetrated primarily by forward Gilbert Comeau and goalie Patrice Drapeau. These messages are directed largely at former Metros captain Shane Hollander.
Hollander—who is half-Japanese and identifies as gay—left Montreal at the end of last season for Ottawa, where he now plays under the leadership of his husband, team captain Ilya Rozanov.
9/14/21
Gilbert Comeau
Surprised Hollander can still skate with the way he takes it up the ass.Patrice Drapeau
You so sure it’s him who takes it up the ass? Rozanov seems like he’d be into that shit.Gilbert Comeau
Definitely, you know what they say about Asian dude’s dicks.Jayden Wilson
Dude, we shared a locker room with him for like ten years, pretty sure his dick was just fine.Gilbert Comeau
YOU might be looking at other man’s dicks, but I’m sure as hell not.2/24/22
Patrice Drapeau
[Image: A stack of pride tape rolls.]
I’m not using this gay ass shit3/11/22
Gilbert Comeau
$500 Canadian dollars to whoever has the best chirp against Hollander and Rozanov tonight. Don’t just call them faggots and be done with it, get creative. Another $500 if gloves get dropped.
Notably absent from the Metros group chat are forward Hayden Pike and defender Jean-Jacques “J.J.” Boiziau—the only two Metros players known to have been present at Hollander and Rozanov’s summer 2021 wedding.
The wives of at least three Metros players have reportedly filed for divorce after seeing chats containing evidence of infidelity.
The Metros organization declined to provide the New York Times with a statement.
-
The final team on the list is a bit of an odd one. The Ottawa Centaurs have been coming in at the bottom of the standings season after season, until some recent talent acquisition suddenly made them cup contenders.
The hiring of head coach Brandon Weibe, along with the signing of goalie Wyatt Hayes and star forwards Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have made the Centaurs a force to be reckoned with.
Compared to the rest of the teams, the Centaurs seem to have gotten away scot-free. They have avoided any criminal charges, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to discuss.
The public now knows far more than it ever wanted to about Hollander and Rozanov’s sex lives. Nothing was done publicly, so there’s no crime of public indecency here, but some may argue using such sexually charged language in a work group chat at the very least warrants a conversation with HR.
The messages between the Centaurs contain multiple instances of disparaging remarks directed at NHL Commissioner Roger Crowell, especially from Rozanov and forward Troy Barrett.
10/30/21
Ilya Rozanov
watched a movie where kids threw eggs all over someones house
on unrelated note anyone have crowells address???11/12/21
Troy Barrett
Roger Crowell can rot in hell.
Actually, never mind. If he’s dead I can’t kick his ass.2/4/22
Ilya Rozanov
so crowell is ok with players calling us cocksuckers but he is not ok with people who actually suck cock
maybe he should suck cock might make him feel better
One message exchange between Hollander, Rozanov, and multiple teammates accuses the commissioner of attempting to prevent their marriage.
1/6/22
Ilya Rozanov
hottest shane has ever looked is when he told crowell to fuck offShane Hollander
I did NOT do that.Ilya Rozanov
maybe in different words but same meaningShane Hollander
He tried to tell us we couldn’t get married, Ilya. Of course I was going to say something.Theo Young
He WHAT.Wyatt Hayes
Ok, wow.
So fuck that asshole, actually. Jesus Christ.
The New York Times reached out to Crowell for comment but has not received a response from him or his team.
However, the biggest reveal for the Centaurs was the existence of their team’s fourth confirmed queer player, last season’s superstar Swiss rookie: Luca Haas.
In several messages, Haas alludes to past homosexual relationships, though the identities of any of these mystery men remain unknown.
We reached out to the Centaurs organization for comment, and the message sent over by the PR team was brief:
“We here at the Ottawa Centaurs believe that love is love, and we will always stand behind our players, no matter their sexual orientation.”
-
This scandal has already made an impact on the NHL, which is seeing unusually low ticket sales ahead of the playoffs, and the sudden shifting of rosters due to arrests and suspensions.
Only time will tell when it comes to what long-term consequences North America’s professional hockey league will face.
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Meeting Request
Professional Conduct Meeting
Time: Wednesday, May 11, 2023 1:00pm-2:00pm EDT
Location: NHL Commissioner’s Office - Montreal
Accept Tentative Decline Propose New Time
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Meeting Request
Professional Conduct Meeting
Time: Wednesday, May 11, 2023 1:00pm-2:00pm EDT
Location: NHL Commissioner’s Office - Montreal
Ilya Rozanov has declined this meeting.
Private Messages
May 11, 2023
Ilya
decline the crowell meeting
Troy
Already done.
Ilya
good man
Twitter
Hollanov Truther @hollanov5ever ∙ 2h
Y’all have to see this fuckass NYT piece.
[Link: The New York Times - NHL Chat Leaks – One Week In]
:) @hereandqueer ∙ 2h
The way they cherry-pick these messages is CRAZY
Katya 🌸 @shanes_eyelash ∙ 1h
I’ve read through the majority of the messages from all six teams (which yes, I know, I’ve barely slept, trust me) and when it comes to the Centaurs v. everyone else it’s night and day.
Raj @sunnisideupp ∙ 1h
How so?Katya 🌸 @shanes_eyelash ∙ 1h
Ok, so the NYT piece uses messages from the Centaurs where they talk shit about the commissioner. Which I’ll admit doesn’t look great, but in context you can see they’re only saying what they’re saying because of the kind of things Crowell has ALLEGEDLY (—my ass is NOT getting sued) said to them! Like apparently, he told Troy to stop posting support for victims of sexual assault.Katya 🌸 @shanes_eyelash ∙ 1h
Meanwhile the article uses some of the tamest shit from the other five teams. Like there’s messages from one of the Metros rookies (not someone who was on the team when Shane was there) that describe in vivid detail just what he would do to Shane if they were alone in a room together, its actually vile, and NYT doesn’t even mention it.Katya 🌸 @shanes_eyelash ∙ 1h
And the misogyny coming out of especially the Vegas and Toronto camps is literally constant, like every other message. These assholes truly do not view women as human beings.
Jen13 @nguyen_nguyen_situation ∙ 29m
Notice how none of the married Centaurs are getting divorced by their partners. Speaks volumes imo.
Cold as Ice @ zamboni_rights_lawyer ∙ 27m
I’m gonna start cherry-picking messages of my own, if the NYT can do it, so can I.
[Image: Screenshot of the Ottawa Centaurs group chat where everyone is wishing Zane Boodram a happy birthday and thanking him for all he does for the team.]
:) @hereandqueer ∙ 26m
The Ottawa Centaurs: 🥰😇✨🥳🌈❤️💅🏻🌻😜😍
The rest of the NHL: 🤬☠️💩🖕🏻💥🌧️💣🔪🪦🚫
MPP Supremacy @abijimenez02 ∙ 23m
I’m gonna be sick. They’re using racist and homophobic slurs from the fucking stone ages to refer to a man who won them THREE CUPS.
Hollanov Truther @hollanov5ever ∙ 20m
I think we can now agree that Dallas Kent was a symptom not the disease.
Ottawaaaaa @puckslutera ∙ 19m
Hey look guys, a man talking about breaking up with a woman and at no point does he call her a bitch, slut, or whore. In fact, he even comes to her defense when someone else calls her, wait for it… an asshole! Thank you Mr. Tommy LaPointe, but also, the bar is literally in hell!!!
[Link: reddit - Ottawa Centaurs Group Chat – Part 19]
아라 @LesbiansforLucaHaas ∙ 14m
I lowkey think that NYT author is homophobic because what’s up with that comment about how Shane and Ilya talk too much about their (married) sex lives in a group chat with people who are clearly friends as much as they are coworkers, but no heat to the men on other teams describing how they fuck girls in every city? bsffr
Katya 🌸 @shanes_eyelash ∙ 14m
No joke, that author has been on my shit list ever since she wrote an opinion piece calling Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellowbrick Road” an overrated album. Which might just be a coincidence, but…Ottawaaaaa @puckslutera ∙ 13m
Making that weirdass reference to public indecency when they were LEAKED PRIVATE MESSAGES!
Shane’s Husband ✓ @ilyarozanov81 ∙ 2m
the bitch is back 💁♀️✨💅
[This tweet has been deleted.]
Shane’s Husband ✓ @ilyarozanov81 ∙ 1m
[Image: A picture of Shane Hollander taken from behind. He is sitting outside the Ottawa cottage at golden hour, facing the lake, feet propped up on an outdoor coffee table, and a can of ginger ale in his right hand. The scene is relaxed and peaceful.]
Солнышко моё ☀️
r/professional hockey • 1week ago
anonymoususer_1305
Ottawa Centaurs Group Chat – Part 21
Proud Dad (Captain) to a Few Dumbass Kids
January 30, 2022
LaPointe
False alarm regarding Shelby.
We talked, apparently waiter was her ex from high school who was a massive dick.
Young
OH
That makes so much more sense.
Bergy
Idk, I still think she should have communicated…
Hollander
Ilya once ghosted me for six months.
And we turned out fine.
Haasy
!!!!
Captain
SHANE
how could you say this
you said all is forgiven
:’(
Troy
No offense to you two, but nothing about your relationship is normal.
Captain
>:(
betrayal
bag skates forever for you barrett
Troy
Now, hold on!
Hollander
He’s not wrong Ilya.
Captain
[Image: Pingu pouting meme]
at least I did not have gay panic and go date famous movie star
Hollander
Oh my god.
Would you stop being a giant baby.
LaPointe
Um… should we leave you two alone?
Hollander
No, LP, it’s fine.
What I was TRYING to say before Ilya decided to be a drama queen, is that while good communication is important, sometimes people need time to process things before they can really talk about them.
I’m assuming Shelby didn’t know he worked at the restaurant?
LaPointe
Yeah, she had no idea.
Hollander
Then seeing him again unexpectedly was probably very shocking, especially if things ended poorly between them.
LaPointe
She talked about how uncomfortable she was throughout dinner and I kinda just feel shitty for not noticing.
I really thought we were having a nice date…
Captain
you notice now
that is something
LaPointe
I guess.
Captain
you can try again
go to different restaurant where her ex does not work
LaPointe
I think next time we might just do takeout and a movie.
Captain
good plan
shane and I do that often
Bood
LP, glad you were able to work things out with Shelby.
Cap and Hollzy, you guys good or is someone sleeping on the couch tonight?
Captain
yes all good
shane and i are both already on the couch
watching people remodel houses on tv
the wife hates the tile in the kitchen
shane agrees says the grout work is uneven and wrong color
LaPointe
Wait, did you guys just argue over text while sitting right next to each other?
Hollander
Yes.
Captain
yes
Haasy
…
Bood
I don’t know why any of you are surprised at this point.
Bergy
I love this fucking team.
Young
Cap, when you said bag skates earlier, that was just for Troy, right?
Troy
Oh fuck you!
Dykstra
Whatever happened, I’m innocent!
Ilya sometimes wishes he had more self-control.
When news of the leak had broken, he hadn’t been all that concerned with wading through the messages himself… for the most part.
He knows what went on the Centaurs chat, obviously. Toronto and Vegas have always been shitty so no surprises there, and Vancouver and Utah don’t matter.
That leaves Montreal.
And he can’t deny there’s a history there, an ugly one.
As he scrolls through Twitter now that he’s officially out of social media jail, he begins to notice a few posts that make his heart sink straight through the floor.
Ummmm if I were Shane Hollander I would be pressing charges.
Montreal Metros group chat leak part 31, tldr: The metros plan a hate crime but are really bad at it.
These were the same people that used to talk about how their “unshakable brotherhood” gave them the ability to win three Stanley Cups. Jesus fucking Christ
Someone needs to call the police on the Metros I’m so serious.
Men, this is exactly why women don’t want you approaching them at bars.
He navigates to a Tweet that was kind enough to link to the relevant Metros group chat reddit post.
A part of him does not want to do this. He is having an okay morning, all things considered. He’s blown off a meeting with the commissioner, taken Anya for a walk, and been welcomed home by Shane with breakfast and a kiss.
Ilya doesn’t want to burst the comfortable little bubble they’ve created for themselves amidst the chaos, but the other part of him knows that he can’t look away. Like watching a train crash, or whatever the English expression is.
Something that Ilya has come to understand about himself after many years of therapy is that he’s the kind of person that loves deeply and fiercely. For a very long time he thought that meant there was something wrong with him. If you asked his father, he would have said that any sort of emotional outburst was a sign of weakness.
In such an unforgiving environment, Ilya learns—not to stop loving, but to hide it deep inside himself, and to only let it out around people who are safe.
There is no safety to be found in the cold Russian winters after his mother’s death.
It isn’t until he meets a cute boy in Saskatchewan that Ilya begins to feel things that he’d thought he’d buried so long ago that time had rotted them away.
Ilya’s devotion comes with the need to protect the people he’s loyal to.
So, if other players are putting his Shane in danger, he has to know.
r/professional hockey • 2weeks ago
anonymoususer_1305
Montreal Metros Group Chat – Part 31
23 Dudes, 1 Puck
April 28th, 2022
Olsson
Fuck, the Centaurs are here.
Drapeau
What do you mean here?
Olsson
I mean here in the bar we were planning to meet at, dumbass.
Schneider
Fuck.
Drapeau
Don’t tell me you’re scared of those pussies.
Olsson
Well, not all of them, but I have three new teeth now thanks to Rozanov.
Drapeau
Whatever.
Olsson
So where are we going then?
Comeau
What do you mean?
Olsson
We can’t go to the same bar as the Centaurs.
Comeau
Can and will.
Wilson
Come on man.
Olsson
Hollander is fucking here.
Comeau
Are you sure?
Olsson
Yes I’m fucking sure!! Fuck!
Schneider
That’s so weird I thought he never went out.
Miller
Ok, ok relax. This is actually good for us.
Wilson
Literally how.
Miller
I’m assuming its dark and crowded, the perfect place to get Hollander alone, away from that Russian guard dog of his.
Comeau
I like the way you think rook.
Schneider
Get him alone for what exactly?
Miller
To teach him a lesson about what happens to little faggots who think it’s ok to stare at other guys in the shower
Wilson
Look, I know it might not seem like it, but Hollander can fight…
Miller
Good thing he’ll be outnumbered
And we can always put something in his drink to move the process along.
Olsson
Fuck, I think Hayes saw me.
Abort, abort!
Comeau
God fucking dammit.
You had one job!
Drapeau
I hate that motherfucker. Acts like he’s better than the rest of us as if he didn’t spend years doing jack shit in Toronto.
Mitty
Goalie beef runs deep.
Wilson
You get out of there ok Olsson?
Olsson
Yeah, there’s another place like three blocks up the street, we can just go there.
Comeau
Looks like your plan will have to wait rook.
Miller
We play Ottawa again in a few weeks on our own turf.
Might be easier then.
Drapeau
Hollander will get what’s coming to him.
Ilya remembers that night. He remembers beating Montreal 4-2, remembers Hazy mention offhandedly that he thought he’d seen one of Montreal’s defensemen at Monk’s.
At the time, Ilya had laughed at the goalie’s comment, reveling in the feeling of his and Shane’s bodies pressed close together in the crowded booth.
“We scared him away; Montreal will have to find somewhere else to cry into their drinks.”
He isn’t laughing now.
He remembers the next time they played against the Metros too.
The game had been closer, the Centaurs barely eking out a win in overtime. It had been at the end of a long road trip, and no one felt like going out. The evening had been spent in quiet satisfaction rather than rowdy celebration. A few players had chosen to nurse cocktails at the sleepy hotel bar, but most decided to retire to their rooms—including Shane and Ilya.
Ilya remembers slowly taking his husband apart in the too-soft hotel bed, creating a new map of the freckles and scars that covered Shane’s body, as if he didn’t already have it memorized.
What might have happened if they had gone out that night?
Ilya doesn’t like the way his hand is shaking.
It was one thing when fights broke out during a game, or when someone got slammed into the board hard enough to rattle teeth. But everyone on the ice had signed a contract, they knew the risks. There were rules, mouthguards, penalties—an order to the chaos.
This was something else entirely.
Hollander will get what’s coming to him.
The words haunt Ilya.
He is suddenly overwhelmed with the need to put his fist through the drywall.
But luckily for the interior design, their home gym includes a punching bag that dangles from the ceiling.
Ilya slams his phone on the counter and makes his way downstairs.
Shane is already there, headphones on and two-thirds of the way through a run on the treadmill that has his skin glistening with perspiration.
He glances up when Ilya walks in and gives him a small smile of acknowledgement before refocusing his gaze forwards.
Ilya doesn’t stretch, doesn’t bother with a pair a boxing gloves, he just starts swinging.
Ilya is a hockey player, but he is not a violent person. Fighting on the ice is all spectacle. He has a good working relationship with half the men whose teeth he’s rearranged. At the end of the day, it is not that serious.
When it comes to his personal life, he can take abuse; has taken an awful lot of it in his life without fighting back (and he has had enough conversations with Galina now to know that isn’t exactly something to be proud of), but what his mind and body can’t properly handle is the feeling of powerlessness that comes with watching the people he cares about be subjected to harm.
Shane is his whole world.
And Ilya is meant to be strong enough to protect him.
The idea that these pieces of shit had planned to put their hands on Shane when he was supposed to be safe, that they’d wanted to hurt him, or worse…
His mind refuses to finish the thought.
“Ilya, stop!” Shane’s voice rings in Ilya’s ears and he freezes, a fist hallway to the bag.
It’s the fist thing Ilya’s heard him say, but he gets the sense it isn’t actually the first time Shane has spoken.
Ilya’s chest heaves as he turns to look at this husband, the other man’s face full of concern. The screen on the treadmill behind him flashes to indicate the workout has been paused and his headphones hang silent around his neck.
“You’re crying.”
Ilya brings his outstretched hand to his face where, sure enough, hot tears cascade down his face.
“Ilya, baby, what’s wrong?”
A sob escapes Ilya before he can do anything to stop it and he sinks down to the floor, all the rage draining out of him.
Shane follows him down.
“Can I—?” Shane begins, a tentative hand reached out.
Ilya nods and immediately receives an armful of sweaty hockey player.
Shane runs his fingers through Ilya’s curls as the latter holds on to his husband like the alternative is being swept out to sea.
“Shane… d-did they ever hurt you?”
Even asking the question makes Ilya want to vomit.
He looks up to see Shane’s brows furrow in confusion. Under different circumstances, Ilya would have found it cute.
“Did who hurt me?”
Ilya turns slightly. If his lunch really does make a reappearance, he’d rather his husband not be caught in the crossfire.
“Metros.”
Shane blinks. “They were pretty shitty to me, but Ilya, I thought we went over this a long time ago—”
Ilya’s grip tightens. “No, not words, like…”
“…Like, physical hurt?”
Ilya wrenches himself to the side as he gags.
“Ilya!”
“’m fine.”
Ilya is very clearly not fine, but Shane doesn’t argue this point.
“The Metros did not physically hurt me.” Shane says clearly, without room for doubt or misinterpretation.
Ilya sags in relief.
“What brought this on? Did someone tell you they did?” Shane asks.
“No, ah, group chat…”
Shane’s expression darkens. “You read the Metros group chat?”
Ilya nods.
“Jesus.”
“Please don’t read it, Shane.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, I spent almost a decade in a locker room with those guys, I know how they are… But I’m more than a little concerned about what was said in those messages to make you react this way.”
Ilya really didn’t want to talk about it.
“People on twitter think you should sue them.” Ilya says, because that feels safe enough.
The words linger in the air between them.
“If we sue them, then I’ll definitely have to read the messages. I can’t walk into a lawsuit blind.”
Ilya says nothing, just holds onto Shane tighter, as if a strong gust of wind might blow him away.
LucaHaas_11✓
[Image: Luca Haas, Troy Barrett, Shane Hollander, and Ilya Rozanov sitting together on a bench in the Centaurs locker room. All of them but Hollander have their sticks wrapped in pride tape. Rozanov has stripes of pink, purple, and blue face paint across his cheeks. The photo is a candid, with Barrett and Rozanov appearing to be mid-conversation while Haas and Hollander watch.]
Thank you to my queer elders, you give me the courage to be myself. 🌈❤️
Liked by ilyarozanov81 and 14,732 others
View all 1,739 comments
ilyarozanov81✓
luca you are my favorite son 🥰🥰🥰
ilyarozanov81✓
but should have been a picture of @ScottHunterScottHunter✓
I could’ve sworn I blocked you Rozanov.
ScottHunter✓
Proud of you kid, welcome to the club. 🏳️🌈
shanehollanderhockeyplayer✓
You deserve the world Luca. ❤️
ilyarozanov81✓
shane where is your pride tape??? are you homophobicshanehollanderhockeyplayer✓
🙄
TroyBarrett✓
Who are you calling old??
Harris_Dover🍎✓
I love this gay ass team!!!!
WyattHayes✓
I stand for the flag. 🫡🏳️🌈
BergBergBergy✓
YEAH BOIIIII
Bood_in_Ottawa✓
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
LesbiansforLucaHaas
Haasy nation how we feelin tonight??? 🌈❤️
Rozanov5ever
Hate to see yet another NHL player get outed, but love seeing all the support.
CentsFan1998
ILY LUCA 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭
Dylannn
🤮 🤮 🤮
zamboni_rights_lawyer
Love is love dipshit, die mad about it. 🏳️🌈shanes_eyelash
Why is it always a M*tros fan at the scene of the crime?
Gayhockeynews
Any chance you’re taking boyfriend applications? 👀
1 hour ago
CNN
SPORTS ∙ 4 MIN READ
BREAKING: NHL SUPERSTARS SHANE HOLLANDER AND ILYA ROZANOV FILE LAWSUIT AGAINST MONTREAL METROS ORGANIZATION
UPDATED 1 HR AGO
By Patrick Tran
Following the bombshell National Hockey League group chat leak earlier this month, multiple organizations as well as individual players have found themselves in a slew of legal trouble. Hollander and Rozanov are the next in an ever-increasing line of plaintiffs seeking compensation over the content of these messages.
Shane Hollander currently plays for NHL’s Ottawa Centaurs, where Ilya Rozanov leads the team as captain. The pair got married in July 2021, becoming the league’s first openly gay couple.
The increased visibility has not come without its challenges. Before he was a Centaur, Hollander spent the first 10 years of his career playing for the Montreal Metros. He was a key part of the Metros’ 2010s rebuild strategy and would go on to captain the team to three Stanley Cup wins over the course of a decade. His sudden exit from the franchise that drafted him raised numerous red flags, with fans and sources close to Hollander claiming that the split was over Hollander’s (then unconfirmed) sexuality. Hollander himself has never addressed the rumors, however, a now-deleted Tweet from Rozanov on the eve of Hollander’s signing with the Centaurs which labels Metros head coach Jacques Theriault a “homophobic coward” adds some weight to the theory.
When CNN reached out for comment, a spokesperson from the Hollander-Rozanov legal team provided the following:
“Shane Hollander spent 10 years fulfilling his end of the contract between himself and the Montreal Metros organization. It is our opinion that the Metros failed in their legal and moral duty to create a safe work environment free from harassment and discrimination. My client had no plans to take legal action against his former employer, though he would have been well within his rights to do so. However, these newly publicized messages reveal that even after Hollander left the organization, individuals still within it were conspiring to commit bodily harm against him. The Hollander-Rozanov family has experienced significant mental trauma because of it.”
Court filings reveal that Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are jointly seeking 15 million dollars in compensation for emotional damages sustained as a result of Hollander’s workplace harassment.
Several prominent figures have taken to Twitter to throw their support behind the couple, including Oscar-winning actress Rose Landry and New York Admirals Captain Scott Hunter:
Rose Landry ✓ @roselandryofficial ∙ 45m
No one should face this kind of treatment just for being who they are. Unfortunately, this happens far too often in both showbusiness and the world of professional sports. Shane is one of the kindest, most dedicated people I know, and he doesn’t deserve the way the @MontrealMetros have betrayed him. I stand behind him and Ilya, 100%.
Scott Hunter ✓ @Admirals21_Scott ∙ 49m
The @NHL owes much of its success over the last 10+ years to Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. Since the two of them stepped onto the ice to play their first professional games, they have filled arenas, set records for jersey sales, and inspired a generation to lace up their skates. And yet, this league has been complicit in creating a culture that would excuse harm towards two of their biggest stars instead of celebrating the much-needed diversity they bring to the sport. Make no mistake, this is a league issue, but the conduct displayed by the @MontrealMetros in particular is beyond shameful. Do better.
Via Twitter
From 2010 to 2018 Rozanov played for—and later captained—the Boston Bears before his sudden and unexpected departure. Boston was not one of the six teams affected by the group chat leak, and some fans have begun to raise concerns that perhaps Rozanov was mistreated by Boston in the same fashion that Hollander was by Montreal, but without any evidence to show for it.
The Boston Bears were quick to release a statement across all official social media platforms:
“While he is no longer one of ours, Ilya Rozanov will always be a beloved part of Boston’s hockey history. Rozanov has given us his permission to state for the record that his decision to sign with the Ottawa Centaurs beginning in the 2018-19 season was based on the desire to be closer to family and begin the pathway to Canadian citizenship, and should not be taken as an indicator that he was dissatisfied with the Boston Bears Organization’s treatment of him as an employee.
The Boston Bears Organization has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, discrimination, and hate-speech. No matter what month it is, a portion of proceeds from every Boston Bears Pride Collection item sold always go to support LGBTQIA+ and gender-diversity hockey organizations within the greater Boston area.
Had Rozanov chosen to remain part of the organization, we would have supported him regardless of his sexual orientation or choice of spouse, to have done otherwise would have been in opposition to the core values of the Boston Bears Organization.”
Via Twitter
While neither Hollander, nor Rozanov themselves could be reached for comment, Rozanov did like the Tweet containing Boston’s statement, offering further evidence that there is no bad blood between Rozanov and his former team.
This is still a developing story, more information will be provided as it becomes available.