NHL players are discussing options to protest racial injustice after the NBA and other professional sports leagues postponed games, according to a person with knowledge of those talks.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity early Thursday because those discussions were private. The subject rose to the forefront as multiple leagues called off games and two prominent Black NHL players expressed frustration that the predominantly white league went ahead Wednesday with two games preceded by moments of reflection.

“We really didn’t find out that the other leagues had taken their stance until we got here tonight,” Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk said after playing Game 3 of his team's second-round series against the Boston Bruins. “It was something that I think for us was something we found out by the time we got to the rink and something we’ll have to address going forward.”

Minnesota's Matt Dumba and San Jose's Evander Kane, founding members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, criticized the NHL for going ahead with games while every NBA playoff game, plus three in Major League Baseball and others in Major League Soccer and the WNBA, were postponed. Players in those leagues were protesting the shooting by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, of Jacob Blake, a Black man.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said the league will “get up to speed and support what needs to be done.”

“Unfortunately, we can’t control some of the things that go on in the outside world,” Cooper said. "I truly believe that whether it’s pro sports or the business world or whatever it is, at some point, we’re all going to have to come together. I think whether you say the NHL is behind or ahead, I think the league has done so many good things in so many different avenues, and this is one that we need to pick our head up and take notice and there’s no doubt we will."

Reached Wednesday night before Tampa Bay-Boston began and after the NBA's decision, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said postponing games was not currently being contemplated. Daly added, “Obviously, we will see if the players feel differently and will respond appropriately and as necessary."

The NHL Players' Association is having those discussions ahead of two games scheduled for Thursday.

Boston captain Zdeno Chara expressed support for NBA players but said it was too close to the 8 p.m. game time for players to have a serious discussion about not taking the ice.

“We were just getting ready,” Chara said. “But we support the fight against racism and injustice. There’s different ways to express that fight and, obviously, NBA players expressed their opinions by boycotting the games today, so we support it.”

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri said he had thoughts about not playing before his team's 6-4 win over the Dallas Stars in Edmonton.

"It crosses your mind when you see other leagues doing something like that," Kadri said. "We support and applaud the NBA for taking those circumstances. I understand this is a problem that's gone on for far too long ... Eventually words get stale and it's about action and making a difference."

The Milwaukee Bucks were first to boycott when they didn't take the floor for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in the late afternoon. The NBA later announced that all three of the day's scheduled playoff games had been postponed. No announcement has been made on Thursday's Toronto Raptors-Boston Celtics game.

Minnesota Wild defenceman Matt Dumba, who knelt for the American anthem on the first day of the NHL's restart in Edmonton earlier this month, praised NBA players on Twitter.

"NBA Players leading! WE STAND WITH YOU AND DEMAND CHANGE!" the Regina native said.

The Bucks' move resonated around the sports world.

The Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds opted not to play their Major League Baseball game on Wednesday night. MLB followed with postponements of a Los Angeles Dodgers-San Francisco Giants game and a Seattle Mariners-San Diego Padres contest. All three WNBA games on the league's schedule were also postponed.

The Toronto Blue Jays, meanwhile, went ahead with their home game against the Boston Red Sox in Buffalo, N.Y., which started about an hour after the Bucks had boycotted.

Manager Charlie Montoyo said his team didn't have time to discuss sitting out Wednesday night, but he expects to have that conversation before Thursday's game.

"I understand and support the teams that have decided not to play, but it was right before the game when we found out and the players were already out there. So we proceeded to play," Montoyo said.

"We're going to discuss it and see where we go with this."

Tennis did go on at the Western & Southern Open in New York, but the tournament announced after Wednesday's final match it would not hold play Thursday and plans to resume Friday. One of the sport's top players, Japan's Naomi Osaka, dropped out of Thursday's semifinals hours after winning her quarterfinal.

Canada's Milos Raonic, who won his quarterfinal, says it's imperative both the men's and women's tours come together in a hurry to have a discussion about what's next.

"Having a sign somewhere of support, banners at a tournament or wearing a shirt in a warmup in an NBA game, it can only do so much," he said. "I think real disruption ... that's what makes change. I think a lot of real disruption is caused by affecting people in a monetary way. That can force some kind of change."

Blake was shot multiple times by police in Kenosha, about 65 kilometres south of Milwaukee. The Blake family's lawyer said Blake was paralyzed and that it would "take a miracle" for him to walk again.

The shooting of the 29-year-old Blake was captured on cellphone video Sunday and ignited protests in Kenosha and elsewhere.

The league unveiled its #WeSkateFor campaign when it restarted its pandemic-delayed season — with #WeSkateForBlackLives and #WeSkateForEquality banners featured behind the nets in both buildings hosting the resumption of play.

On Wednesday, a public address announcer at Scotiabank Arena read a statement before a brief moment of reflection, saying "the NHL and the hockey community are committed in the mission to combat racial injustice."

"The NHL would like to take this moment to wish Jacob Blake and his family well, and call out to our fans and communities to stand up for social justice and the effort to end racism," the announcer continued.

Canadian soccer player Diana Matheson urged the NHL to do more.

"Come on NHL, step up," she tweeted, adding the Black Lives Matter hashtag.

Canadian women's hockey team member Sarah Nurse was also critical.

"Black Lives are more important than sports. PERIOD," she tweeted. "I'm going to need hockey, especially, to understand that."

Meanwhile, Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore posed a question to Major League Soccer.

"@MLS what are you going to do," Altidore tweeted.

MLS ended up postponing five of six games on Wednesday night.

Toronto FC is scheduled to play in Montreal against the Impact on Friday night. The MLS Players Association tweeted its support for the NBA boycott.

— With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2020.