Popular ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor John Anderson has apologized for saying that an indigenous NHL player's last name sounds like a "toilet paper" brand.
Anderson was narrating a highlight from Oilers-Golden Knights Game 3 on Monday, and cracked a joke about Vegas defenseman Zach Whitecloud's name, calling it a "great name if you're a toilet paper."
Whitecloud's is the first NHL player to be from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.
Anderson, who has been with ESPN since 1999, apologized for the remark.
"This is totally on me and I sincerely apologize to Zach, the Golden Knights, their fans and everyone else for what I said," he said in a statement, via Awful Announcing.
"It's my job to be prepared and know the backgrounds of the players and I blew it. I will be reaching out to the team to personally apologize and hope to have the opportunity to speak to Zach as well."
Last November, Whitecloud spoke about being proud to represent his heritage.
During the Vegas-Edmonton highlight on SportsCenter, John Anderson jokes about Zach Whitecloud's name, saying it's a "great name if you're a toilet paper."
Whitecloud is the first Indigenous NHL player from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. pic.twitter.com/gngA1yg8wk
"You know this game was created to have fun with your friends no matter your background, no matter where you're from. Your economic status whatever it is, everybody can play hockey," he said.
"To be able to represent and there are various other people that are representing in a lot of different ways. I'm just proud that I'm able to do my part and represent our community in the right way, treat people the right way, and be a good human first."
He also spoke about the familial aspect of hockey.
"In our culture I think the one thing that we're taught is that all family looks after all of the family right. Everyone is family," Whitecloud said.
"You look after them like they're your own, and I think that brings in a tremendous sense of family and for me growing up in hockey, it pertains to the same way. I treat a lot of all my teammates like they're my family, I want the best for them."