NHL condemns Milbury's 'insensitive and insulting' remark about women

The NHL denounced NBC hockey analyst Mike Milbury's comment during a broadcast Thursday when he suggested women would be a distraction for players in the bubble.

"The National Hockey League condemns the insensitive and insulting comment that Mike Milbury made during (Thursday) night's broadcast and we have communicated our feelings to NBC," the league said in a statement Friday. "The comment did not reflect the NHL's values and commitment to making our game more inclusive and welcoming to all."

NBC also publicly decried the incident, saying it's "disappointed about Mike's insensitive comment and (we) have addressed it with him," according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

Milbury apologized shortly thereafter.

"I sincerely apologize for making the comment," he said in a statement. "It was not my intention to disrespect anyone. I was trying to be irreverent and took it a step too far. It was a regrettable mistake that I take seriously."

The analyst will not work on either of NBC's broadcasts Friday night, a spokesperson for the network's sports department told ESPN's Emily Kaplan, adding it will announce the commentary teams for the weekend on Saturday morning.

Milbury criticized Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask last week for leaving the bubble, even while acknowledging the netminder was prioritizing his family. Bruins president Cam Neely later revealed that Rask left due to a family emergency.

Milbury is the second NBC hockey analyst to make inappropriate remarks about women this season. The network suspended Jeremy Roenick indefinitely without pay in December after the former NHL forward made comments of a sexual nature about then-co-worker Kathryn Tappen.

Roenick apologized in January but sued NBC for wrongful termination in July, saying he was held to a different standard than Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski based on his sexual orientation.

Milbury has been with the network since 2007.