Flyers' Simmonds denies making gay slur

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is calling for Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds to apologize for a slur that appeared to be directed at the Rangers' Sean Avery.

Video replay appeared to catch Simmonds making an anti-gay slur against Avery during a preseason game in Philadelphia on Monday. Avery said that Simmonds made the remark.

According to a report in the Philadelphia Daily News, Simmonds strongly denied Avery's claim. Simmonds had a conversation with NHL vice president Colin Campbell yesterday before practice about the alleged incident. Tuesday night the league, in a statement, said it was not punishing Simmonds for the incident because there was no proof that the slur was used.

"He asked me if I called him a gay slur and I said no. I said a lot of other things, but that wasn't one of them," Simmonds said later. "There are a lot of things I said to him -- and obviously I'm not going to repeat them -- but I didn't say that to him."

GLAAD acting president Mike Thompson said in a statement: "Hate speech and anti-gay slurs have no place on the ice rink. The word that Simmonds used is the same word that is hurled at LGBT youth on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility. He should not only apologize for this anti-gay outburst, but the Philadelphia Flyers and the NHL have a responsibility to take action and educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable."

In his previous game in London, Ontario, against Detroit, a fan threw a banana on the ice at Simmonds in an apparent racial gesture. Simmonds is one of the league's few black players.

"I'm getting press for things I wouldn't like to get it for," Simmonds said. "I'd rather see myself getting press for my play. Instead it's other things." With AP