Pierre McGuire: 'I Should Have Chosen My Words Better' When Talking to Kendall Coyne Schofield
NBC broadcaster Pierre McGuire released a statement on Thursday addressing his comments to professional hockey player Kendall Coyne Schofield during Wednesday night's Penguins-Lightning game.
Coyne Schofield joined the broadcast as a guest analyst, and McGuire was quickly under fire for "mansplaining" to her how hockey works.
"Tampa’s going to be on your left, Pittsburgh’s going to be on your right," McGuire told Coyne Schofield on air. "We’re paying you to be an analyst, not be a fan tonight."
McGuire released a statement on Thursday regarding the incident, saying he should have "chosen my words better."
"We were all thrilled to have [Coyne Schofield] join our coverage last night, but at times my excitement got the better of me and I should have chosen my words better," McGuire said in the statement, per The Athletic's Katie Strang. "I have the utmost respect for Kendall as a world-class player, analyst of the game, and role model."
Coyne Schofield is a five-time World Championship gold medalist and helped the United States capture gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Last week, she made history by becoming the first female to compete in the NHL All-Star skills competition, placing seventh out of eight players.
She defended McGuire on Twitter on Thursday, mentioning that she didn't find his tone or actions offensive.
"I understand why people would think it was inappropriate," she tweeted. "If I were watching it at home and saw a man say this to a woman athlete, I would have been offended. But what I also know is how excited Pierre was for me and to be a part of this moment. While I wish it came out differently, I know Pierre doesn't question my hockey knowledge."