NHL

San Jose Sharks star Logan Couture claims he was "sucker punched" in Toronto on Tuesday ... and says it was all because he said he'd vote Republican if he could.

Couture -- who's Canadian -- made the revelation in a series of social media posts Wednesday ... saying, "I spent last night in Toronto Ontario."

"I talked about voting for the Republican Party, and I mentioned Donald Trump by name. I was sucker punched."

Couture didn't say if he suffered any injuries as a result of the alleged attack ... but added, "Is this really what we are coming to? If you vote you are a villain? Man this world is so wrong."

It's unclear exactly what Couture said that led to the alleged punch ... the 31-year-old claims he does NOT support Donald Trump and appeared to say he never voiced a pro-Trump opinion Tuesday.

Rather, Couture says he simply said something along the lines of he'd vote for the Republican party if he had a say in the matter.

"[I was punched for] saying my dad was a police officer and I 'would' if I could vote republican," Couture said.

We're out to the Toronto Police Service for more information.

Couture has been a beast for the Sharks for the past decade ... scoring 256 career goals since he came up with the team in the 2009-10 season.

The NHL is coming out STRONG against announcer Mike Milbury -- condemning a stupid, sexist comment he made on air.

Milbury was calling the Islanders vs. Capitals game on Thursday when his partner brought up the league's "bubble" environment on the air.

That's when Milbury chimed in ... saying it's great place for the hockey players because there are "Not even any women here to disrupt concentration."

OOPS.

The 68-year-old former player's comments were met with immediate criticism on social media.

Hockey writer Hannah Stuart tweeted her disapproval, saying, "What Milbury says here isn't just sexist, it's dangerous. Hockey culture already has enough of a problem re: seeing women as lesser than."

Journalist/professor Nicole Kraft added ... "Misogyny alive and well in @NHL broadcast booth/bubble."

And, now the NHL is going after him too ... saying:

"The National Hockey League condemns in the insensitive and insulting comment that Mike Milbury made during last night's broadcast and we have communicated our feelings to NBC."

"The comment did not reflect the NHL's values and commitment to making our game more inclusive and welcoming to all."

Milbury's no stranger to controversy -- he faced criticism just last week for calling out Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask for opting out of the playoffs to be with his family.

Dale Hawerchuck -- a hockey Hall of Famer and Winnipeg Jets legend -- died Tuesday after a battle with stomach cancer ... his son announced.

He was 57 years old.

Hawerchuk is arguably the greatest player in Winnipeg Jets history ... tallying 100 or more points in 6 of his first 7 seasons with the team after it selected him with the #1 overall pick in the 1981 NHL draft.

Hawerchuk ended up owning Jets franchise records for points (929) and goals (379) ... all the way up until the marks were finally bested in the 2015-16 season.

"The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club, our players, our alumni, and our fans will miss him dearly," the Jets said in a statement, "and we will forever be inspired by his passion for the game, his commitment to his team, and his love for our community."

Hawerchuk went on to play 17 total seasons in the NHL ... which included a solid run with the Buffalo Sabres after his time with the Jets ended in 1990.

"The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Dale Hawerchuk, an instant and enduring star who captured the hearts of two hockey-loving cities, represented his country with class and distinction and is one of the most decorated players in our game's history," commish Gary Bettman said.

Hawerchuk began treatments for cancer in 2019 and completed chemotherapy this past April ... but his son announced just a few weeks ago the disease had returned.

A moment of silence was observed for Hawerchuk just before the Philadelphia Flyers took on the Montreal Canadians in a playoff game in Toronto on Tuesday.

The L.A. Kings have suspended the man who plays team mascot "Bailey" ... this after the guy was accused of repeatedly sexually harassing a female Ice Crew member.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... a woman using the alias Jane Doe filed a lawsuit last week claiming Tim Smith -- who suits up in the Kings' Lion costume for events -- was repeatedly inappropriate toward her.

In the suit, Doe claimed Smith hurled lewd jokes her way, made sexually-charged comments and leered at "her breasts and buttocks."

The woman also claims after she complained about Smith -- who manages the team's Ice Crew in addition to playing the mascot role -- he retaliated by firing her from the squad.

Doe says she was eventually able to join back up with the Kings ... but says Smith's action remained inappropriate toward her.

The Kings said in a statement shortly after we published the allegations that they're taking the case seriously ... and have now banned Smith from all team activities until they complete an internal investigation.

"We are aware of the recently-filed lawsuit alleging misconduct by one of our employees," Kings officials said. "The LA Kings take these allegations very seriously and, as an organization, we believe that everyone has the right to work in an environment free from any form of harassment or discrimination."

"We will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter. The employee in question has been suspended, effective immediately, pending the conclusion of that investigation. We are withholding any further comment at this time."

The man who plays "Bailey" -- the L.A. Kings lion mascot -- is being sued for allegedly sexually harassing a female "Ice crew" staffer, TMZ Sports has learned.

The woman behind the suit is using the alias Jane Doe to protect her identity -- but says she was hired for the Crew in 2018 to work fan events for the Kings and the Ontario Reign (the Kings' AHL affiliate).

But, things went south, according to the lawsuit, when Tim Smith -- the man who plays "Bailey" the mascot -- began routinely hurling sexually charged comments in her direction.

She claims Smith was not just a performer, but managed the Ice Crew and wields the power to hire and fire people.

But, Doe says Smith created a terrible environment for female employees -- constantly cracking lewd jokes, making inappropriate sexual comments and would leer at her "breasts and buttocks" ... making her feel super uncomfortable.

Jane Doe claims she made it clear the advances and comments were unwanted -- but Smith retaliated against her by firing her from the Ice Crew.

Doe says a team official begged her to come back and promised to shield her from Smith -- acknowledging Smth's problematic conduct.

But, when she returned, Doe claims Smith was back to his old tricks ... and even describes an incident where he allegedly put his crotch in her face in the mascot locker room while making lewd comments and thrusting his hips.

Doe says she ran out of the room and later quit for good.

She's now suing Smith along with the Kings and AEG, which owns the hockey team. She's claiming sexual harassment, retaliation and more -- and demanding more than $1 million in damages.

Wanna see what a face looks like after it takes a puck straight to the jaw in an NHL game??

Good ... 'cause Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tucker Poolman just revealed the injuries he suffered after blocking a shot with his cheek this week -- and they're gnarly!!

The 27-year-old NHL player was with his teammate Andrew Copp in the hockey bubble when he showed off the battle wounds ... and you can see the dude's face is swollen and scabbed.

"Guy's got a golf ball on the side of his cheek," Copp said of his teammate.

As we previously reported, Poolman went down to block a shot in the second period of the Jets' game against the Flames on Tuesday night ... but the frozen rubber ended up catching him right in the face.

Tucker immediately collapsed to the ice ... and blood spewed everywhere -- leaving a long trail of red as he hurried into the locker room.

But, the guy got stitched back up and played in the third period ... and clearly -- his teammates respect the hell out of him for the toughness.

"Absolute warrior," Copp said.

Here's reason #10,000,000,0001 why hockey players are tough as hell ...

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tucker Poolman took a puck straight to the mouth Tuesday night ... and after bleeding all over the ice -- HE RETURNED TO THE GAME!!!

The scene was terrifying ... in the second period of the Jets vs. Flames tilt -- a Calgary player flipped a wrist shot at the net.

The problem? Poolman put his face in the way to stop the shot ... and the 27-year-old took the brunt of the piece of rubber right to the side of the jaw.

Poolman began immediately spewing blood from his mouth ... and as he bolted for the locker room with trainers -- he left a trail of red spanning about 15 yards!!

Somehow ... Pullman was able to shake off the injury -- and returned for more action in the third period with a huge cage around his face.

After the game, Jets head coach Paul Maurice said Poolman required sutures and has a welt the size of FIVE GOLF BALLS on his face ... but said the D-man should be OK going forward.

"We're lucky to have him," Maurice said.

Tyler Seguin -- one of the NHL's biggest stars -- knelt for the national anthem before Dallas' game against Las Vegas on Monday ... joining three others on the ice for the protest.

It all went down at Rogers Place in Edmonton ... where Seguin, his Star teammate Jason Dickinson, and Golden Knights players Ryan Reaves and Robin Lehner all dropped to one knee in the pregame ceremony.

The two Dallas players were flanked by the two Golden Knights at one of the ice's blue lines -- and the quartet stayed kneeling for the Canadian national anthem as well.

After the game, all four players said they did it for one reason -- to raise awareness for social injustice.

"Everyone should have the same chance in society. Everyone should be treated the same," Lehner said. "At the end of the day, I love America. But, there are a bunch of things that need to be corrected, and it's just about willingness to do something about it."

Added Seguin, "It's a big issue that needs to be addressed."

Players and coaches from both sides said after the demonstration they supported the four players' decisions.

The kneeling protest came just 2 days after Minnesota Wild defenseman Matthew Dumba became the first NHL player to kneel for the anthem.

The kneeling Stars and Golden Knights said Dumba's actions opened the door for their protest on Monday.

"We still were going to come together and talk about it, but Dums leading the way, you don't want to leave him out to dry," Reaves said. "That's the whole point of this."

The new NHL season during the pandemic has begun -- and we're already seeing some changes, as well as some traditions of combat ... and the latter ain't a good look.

Saturday marked the beginning of the 2020 season, which is being played in only two Canadian hub cities -- Toronto and Edmonton. Hockey is following in the footsteps of the NBA ... which is also being played in a bubble, unlike MLB and soon ... the NFL as well.

Anyway, two things of note went down to kick things off -- first off, we got our first glimpse of a classic hockey fistfight on the ice ... something that's actually allowed in the sport. Justin Williams and Ryan Strome -- of the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers respectively -- went at it during their match, coming to blows, until referees eventually broke it up.

Neither guy was wearing a mask -- and no, we're not talking hockey masks or helmets. No distancing either ... so yeah, they were puffing particles right at each other, which ain't safe. On the flip side, they're all technically quarantined -- so perhaps no harm no foul?

At any rate, it was interesting to see ... even in the pandemic, old habits die hard in some sports.

Second, we saw the first showing of kneeling for Black Lives Matter -- but the gesture didn't go down en masse. It was just Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild, who gave a speech before the National Anthem was played ... and got some shoulder support from two Blackhawks and Oilers players.

Some of the biggest icons in pro sports -- from Patrick Mahomes to Marshawn Lynch to George Kittle -- have now publicly joined the fight to end racism in hockey ... sending a powerful video message Thursday.

The NFL All-Pros teamed up with golf superstar Brooks Koepka, Lakers forward Danny Green and many more -- including some of the NHL's best -- to show their support for the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

FYI -- the HDA was just created last month by Akim Aliu and Evander Kane ... and its main goal is to eradicate racism from a sport that's had a checkered history of it.

Mahomes and Green start out the vid ... while others chime in at different points -- with everyone involved promising to stand behind Aliu and Kane in the fight for equality.

"There's no place for racism in our sport," the players say in the video. "Let's all do our part. Because sport has the power to change."

TMZ Sports spoke with Akim about the impact those huge stars can make in hockey.

"Their support means the world to us," Aliu says.

"Having athletes of that stature and that caliber believe in our message will further broaden our reach to make the necessary changes we need, in not just hockey, but society as a whole."

He adds, "It's time the NHL and the rest of the hockey world begin to take tangible steps into making our game more inclusive and diverse."

Aliu, Kane and the HDA say in the six weeks since they formed the org. ... they've had "ongoing dialogue" with some of hockey's biggest organizations, including the NHL.

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner is putting his fat, new contract to good use ... by investing in a major Esports company!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... 23-year-old Marner -- who just inked a 6-year, $65 million deal -- is following The Weeknd's lead in becoming a part-owner of OverActive Media, a company that has pro Overwatch and Call of Duty teams based in the 6.

The Leafs winger is an avid gamer when he's not on the ice ... making it a business move he's really passionate about.

"Over the past few months, I’ve live-streamed with several Toronto Ultra players and built some great friendships with the team at OverActive," Marner says. "As a gamer, my investment is an opportunity to join one of the best global esports organizations and to help bridge the gap between hockey fans and esports."

"I’m looking forward to working with the players and the front office to introduce the Toronto Ultra and Toronto Defiant to a young audience of traditional sport fans."

OverActive CEO Chris Overholt added ... "With roots in the city of Toronto, our entire organization is thrilled to welcome a hometown hero and hockey superstar like Mitch Marner to our investor family,"

"Mitch's authenticity within the Call of Duty scene and his interest in growing the esports industry will be such great additions to our fan base and to each of our franchises."

Somebody get Liam Neeson ... 'cause it's time to release the Kraken!!!

Seattle's new NHL team just revealed it's new name and look on Thursday ... officially going with the legendary sea monster.

FYI, a "kraken" is like a giant, angry octopus.

Other options were thrown around -- including the Sockeyes -- but the org. says it listened to the fans and gave them what they wanted.

"215,000 fan votes, 50+ fan forums & speaking engagements and over 12 months of social media listening have supported this phenomenon," the team said on the site.

The Kraken name pays homage to the city ... "Our maritime city with a proud history of adventure is deserving of a hockey club as untamed as the sea herself. The Kraken represents the fiercest beast in all the world," the team says.

It's also fitting because the largest octopus on planet Earth allegedly lives in nearby Puget Sound!!!

The Kraken also showed off its new threads ... and we gotta say, they look sharp.

The team's official colors are 4(!!) different shades of blue -- deep sea blue, ice blue, boundless blue and shadow blue -- and red alert.

Seattle has a rich history in hockey -- the Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup as part of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association ... but they folded way back in 1924.

The Kraken will be the first Seattle-based team in the NHL ... and fans are stoked to welcome in the new squad.

And, just for fun ...

Lindsey Vonn and P.K. Subban ain't the only world-class athletes in the household ... 'cause the Olympic gold medalist is training her pooch to be a swimmer!!

The 35-year-old ski star threw on a bikini and hit the pool at her L.A. home Monday with her beloved puppy, Bear ... and it's an equal dose of adorable and super hot.

"Back to training Bear for the Olympics," Vonn said on Instagram. "He’s making progress, look out (Michael Phelps) 🏊‍♂️ #doggiepaddle."

Lindsey's other dog, Lucy, wasn't feeling the workout -- and watched the two train from the safety of dry land (Hey, not all of us can be superstar athletes).

Vonn and Bear have been working on their aquatic training for months ... and let's be honest. Bear has made some serious progress!

We see you, dog!

Lindsey and P.K. have been training like maniacs since the beginning of the pandemic ... despite P.K.'s NJ Devils not making the cut for the NHL restart.

As we previously reported, the NHL only invited the top 24 of its 31 teams to participate, which is set to begin on July 28.

Lindsey officially retired from pro skiing back in 2019 -- leaving as one of the greatest of all time -- but she's obviously keeping herself in insane shape because she's a beast and gym is life!

Amazing day for Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom ... the 23-year-old has officially completed radiation treatment for cancer!!

The Swedish pro was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma -- a rare form of bone cancer -- back in December ... and has been fighting ever since.

Lindblom reached a milestone in his recovery on Thursday ... by ringing the bell at Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital to signify his treatment being complete!!

"I can’t even explain how I feel," Lindblom said. "It feels like having a birthday, Christmas, and all those holidays at the same time."

"It just feels awesome to be done. Can’t wait to get back to normal life again, start to feel like I’m living.

"Everything, from family to friends to fans, I can’t even explain how much it meant to me, especially in the start when it was a rough time, got all those kind words, it made me feel so much better and calm and it really helped, for sure."

Lindblom showed his appreciation to all the workers who took care of him during treatment ... gifting them with a signed jersey.

The NHL is releasing its COVID-19 numbers ... with the league reporting 26 out of roughly 250 players have tested positive for the virus since June 8.

The NHL allowed small groups of players to start training at their team facilities earlier this month as part of its Phase 2 of returning to action ... and says it has handed out more than 1,450 tests during that period.

"All players who have tested positive have been self-isolated and are following CDC and Health Canada protocols," the NHL said Monday.

The news comes a week after the Tampa Bay Lightning had to shut down their facility after at least 3 players tested positive for COVID-19. The facility has since reopened.

"The NHL will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests administered to Players and the results of those tests."