Where does the NHL and its players go from here?

NHL players made a large statement Thursday by deciding not to play postseason games for two days to protest racial injustice and police brutality. But where do they, the league and their sport go from here?

The players know they need to turn their gesture into meaningful action, or they’ll face more criticism than they’re already receiving on social media. Now, they feel, is the time to take legitimate steps forward in diversifying what’s been traditionally a one-color sport: White.

“The message that we’re sending to our organization, the NHL, is we want to work together to take a better step, a different step, and make sure this never happens again,” said Colorado Avalanche center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who played two seasons with the Golden Knights. “The (Hockey Diversity Alliance) has a plan, and it’s up to us after the bubble and every player, organization to make sure we work together with our communities so it just gets better and better.”

HDA gets “ball rolling”

The NHL and its players have different approaches to pursuing change.

The most notable development on the players’ side is the Hockey Diversity Alliance, an independent organization that was formed in June to grow the game and promote diversity. The HDA made a formal request to the NHL on Thursday to postpone that day’s playoff games after talking with players in the league’s bubbles.

It also has a pledge it wants the NHL to sign that involves policies and initiatives it feels are “reasonable,” according to Avalanche center Nazem Kadri, one of its nine founders.

“I think the Hockey Diversity (Alliance) is a great start,” Dallas Stars center Jason Dickinson said. “They’re getting the ball rolling to get the white allyship in and bring them on board and help them out. I can’t say that we’ve got a definitive plan today. We’re working on things, that’s why we need a couple days to talk things out and get things organized and really hash out a plan because we can talk all we want, but until we do something, it’s all just words.”

The HDA sent out a statement Thursday saying it would like the league to commit to funding grassroots programs aimed at people of color, social justice initiatives and anti-racism training. It also wants the NHL to set targets for hiring, promote Black individuals and businesses, and change some its rules to foster a more inclusive culture.

“We have a plan that we’ve presented,” HDA co-founder Evander Kane tweeted Thursday. “It’s time to get on board.”

NHL creates councils

The league also has efforts that are just getting off the ground.

The NHL created four councils in June it hopes will help tackle some of hockey’s longstanding diversity issues. There is a player inclusion committee co-led by New Jersey Devils defenseman PK Subban and former NHL forward/NBC analyst Anson Carter. There is a fan inclusion committee. There is a youth committee. And there’s also an executive inclusion council to make sure any of the committee’s recommendations are actionable.

“We are excited to be able to bring fresh voices to the table to help us understand the issues in a much more intimate way and take action against those issues,” said Kim Davis, the NHL’s executive vice president for social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs, earlier this month.

Davis’ goal is also to continue to empower the league’s players so they keep using their voices. She has long tried to tell them that social justice initiatives align with the values of their sport, like teamwork, fairness and equality.

“For our players to use their platforms for anything is a big deal because it really has not been the culture of our sport,” Davis said earlier this month. “For it to happen with regards to social justice and them standing up for social justice, it truly takes it from being a moment to a movement in our sport.”

Following through

There are a lot of questions remaining about the players’ and NHL’s plans. Few details are available.

That makes it easy to doubt the parties since both are still dipping their toes in the waters of social justice, especially when compared to their peers in other leagues.

But there is a sense things are different this time. That it means something a sport with mostly white players shut down to protest racial inequality.

Time will tell if it does. It’ll be up to the players, and the league, taking the next step from well-intended words to significant actions.

“I don’t expect every one of these guys to go out and be an activist for this movement, but I’m sure a lot of us are,” Knights right wing Ryan Reaves said. “And that’s the biggest thing. You can’t just talk about it in the bubble and then live your life. You got to start being part of it and I expect lots of us to.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.