I obviously don't know what it's like to be in Montreal and the way hockey culture works up there and blah blah blah so I'm not sure why some people there disliked him but as far as it goes here, I think it's one of two things. It's either that people don't like him being in the public eye and seeking out attention because let's face it, that's not a hockey thing, or it's because some people deep down can't get over that he took Weber's place. I think there are some here that will pretty much say that PK better be perfect if we gave up Weber for him and that if he isn't perfect, they'll say "well if both guys are flawed why can't we just still have Shea?"
Yes, I believe race plays a part because with the demographics of hockey being the way they are, there will instantly be a microscope on him, for better or worse. I don't believe there are a high number of people that dislike him because of his skin, but I believe the fact that he is black and very open to media (in a sport that is traditionally neither one of those things) causes more attention to be paid to him, which causes people to see him as a hype machine, which then often causes more scrutiny than he deserves and quite honestly more credit than he sometimes deserves as well. I'll leave it at that. Holy run-on sentence, Batman.