Team USA players who don't stand for the national anthem during the World Cup of Hockey could find themselves sitting long after the final verse.
John Tortorella, coach of Team USA and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, is no fan of athletes using "The Star-Spangled Banner" to protest a personal cause, as San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has done in recent weeks. Should any of his players try it, they'll be disciplined.
"If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game," Tortorella told ESPN's Linda Cohn on Tuesday.
The World Cup of Hockey returns to the international psyche this month following a 12-year hiatus.
MORE: Patriotism, politics and sports
With the opening slate of games set for Sept. 17, the Olympic-style tournament featuring NHL players comes at a time when debate in the United States ignited by Kaepernick is still very much a hot topic. His decision to kneel during the anthem before NFL exhibition games, intended to call attention to racial inequality and police relations in the U.S., has already inspired other NFL players and athletes from other sports, such as American women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe, to follow suit.
That hasn't lessened the backlash from those who interpret the demonstrations as disrespectful to the American flag and, by association, the armed forces.
MORE: Ex-NFL player who protested in '68 backs Kap
Still, more athletes are almost certain to follow.
It remains to be seen whether the movement will infiltrate the typically conservative sport of hockey, but the reincarnation of the World Cup represents a sizable stage for anyone hoping to be seen or heard.
