This upcoming off-season, the National Hockey League is planning on taking another look at how it will tackle Pride night after several teams and players decided not to wear Pride-themed jerseys for a variety of reasons.
Pride night in the NHL has been held by several teams for years, though, in recent seasons, there has been a league-wide push for inclusion and diversity in the sport.
The teams around the league are responsible for planning their own Pride nights and often work with local LGBTQ groups for the celebration. One aspect of Pride night includes players wearing Pride-themed jerseys during their pregame warmups before switching back to their regular sweaters for the game. Jerseys are often auctioned off, with the funds raised going to local groups and causes.
However, this season several teams and players have decided not to wear the pregame jerseys, citing either their religious beliefs or concerns for the safety of their Russian players following recent anti-gay legislation in the country.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman spoke with CTV News in Ottawa on Monday about the recent criticism the league has faced revolving around the Pride-themed jerseys. Bettman shared that the hiccups around the league this year were unexpected.
“This is the first time we’ve experienced that, and I think it’s something that we’re going to have to evaluate in the offseason,” Bettman said.
Religious beliefs
Players like San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer, Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ivan Provorov, and Florida Panthers forwards Eric and Marc Staal are among those who have chosen not to wear the jerseys, citing their religious beliefs.
Provorov, who is also Russian, was the first to opt-out and not wear the jersey, sharing with media after the game that it would be against his Russian Orthodox beliefs.
“I respect everybody. I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and to my religion,” Provorov said. “That’s all I’m going to say.”
The Staal brothers issued a statement following their decision not to wear the jerseys, also citing their Christian beliefs.
“We carry no judgment on how people choose to live their lives, and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey,” they said in a statement. “Having said that, we feel that by us wearing a Pride jersey, it goes against our Christian beliefs.”
Russian legislation
In some cases, teams have forgone wearing the jerseys for other reasons. This includes the Minnesota Wild, which decided as an organization not to wear their jerseys at the last minute.
A report from The Athletic cited Russia’s anti-gay propaganda law, which restricts supporting LGBTQ rights, as its reason not to wear the jerseys. It is important to note the Wild’s star player, Kirill Kaprizov, is a Russian native.
However, the franchise did not cancel any other aspect of its Pride celebration, sharing that it contacted its partners, including Twin Cities Pride, to explain the situation around the jerseys. Team officials said all were understanding.
The Chicago Blackhawks also scrapped their plans to wear Pride-themed jerseys at the last minute, citing the same anti-gay Russian legislation. The Blackhawks also cited concerns for the safety of their Russian players, who could be jeopardized by the law when they return home.
Andrew Sobotka, the president of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association, spoke about the decision, calling it a “step backwards” but also highlighting the risk players would be in.
“We don’t want to put any players or their families at risk or in harm’s way. That’s obviously well understood,” Sobotka said.
Pride nights moving forward
Bettman shared that the league has been “aggressive and supportive” in pushing for the themed nights as a means for inclusivity in the league.
Several teams have still worn their Pride-themed jerseys, including the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, and Las Vegas Golden Knights, all of which wore jerseys designed by a member of the LGBTQ community.
However, with a cloud still hanging over the league’s efforts, Bettman highlighted this week that players “for a variety of reasons” may not “feel comfortable wearing the uniform as a form of endorsement.”
The commissioner said that he thinks the criticisms of those who have chosen not to wear the jerseys are getting in the way of the efforts the league has made to show hockey is for everyone.
“But I think that’s become more of a distraction now, because the substance of what our teams and we have been doing and stand for is really being pushed to the side for what is a handful of players basically have made personal decisions, and you have to respect that as well,” Bettman said.
The league will now plan to reevaluate how it proceeds with Pride night this offseason.
Several teams still have Pride nights planned in the coming weeks. It has not been clarified whether or not jerseys will be involved in the teams' celebrations.
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