When Andrew Shaw was suspended by the NHL in 2016 for using a homophobic slur during a tirade in the penalty box, it cemented his reputation in the eyes of many fans, despite his eventual repentance.
He missed a playoff game for the Chicago Blackhawks, apologized to "the gay and lesbian community" and claimed that "wasn't who he was." After being traded to the Montreal Canadiens, those same fans were stunned when Shaw was named the team's LGBTQ ambassador in partnership with You Can Play.
"I knew people were going to think I was just doing it to save face," Shaw told the Chicago Tribune.