Pride Nights, held annually for several years by National Hockey League teams to show support for the LGBTQ+ community, is in the spotlight after several highlights this season.
A few players objected to participating in pre-game warm-ups that included Pride-themed T-shirts, most recently Eric and Mark Stahl of Florida on Thursday night.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
On Wednesday, the Chicago Blackhawks decided not to have players wear Pride-themed warm-up jerseys at upcoming Pride Night, citing an anti-gay law in Russia.
What are the objections?
Brothers Stahl and James Reimer of San Jose — a Canadian — and Ivan Provorov of Philadelphia, a Russian, cited their religious beliefs for their refusal to participate in the warmth.
Related: Raymer interrupts Sharks’ Warmup skate game before Pride Night
“We don’t judge how people choose to live their lives, and we believe all people should be welcomed into all aspects of hockey,” Eric and Mark Stahl said in a statement. “Having said that, we feel that wearing a Pride jersey goes against our Christian beliefs.”
The Blackhawks said they acted out of concern that the safety of their Russian player and two others with ties to Russia could be jeopardized by the law when they return home as it expands restrictions on support for LGBT rights.
Chicago coach Luke Richardson said he and his players were disappointed.
“It’s an unfortunate situation,” Richardson said. “I don’t think we can control the world’s issues, and this takes it out of our hands.”
The New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild decided not to wear Pride-themed jerseys during warmups after it was announced. While each team includes at least one Russian player in their roster, neither has specified the reason for the change.
Is this related to the Russian war in Ukraine?
a little. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the anti-gay law signed by President Vladimir Putin in December combined to pose some problems for the NHL and its 32 teams.
No North American professional sports league has as many Russian players as the NHL. The Russian squad includes some of the best athletes in the league.
There are currently 45 Russian-born players spread across 28 teams, or about 6.4% of the total number of players. They include career No. 2 scorer Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, two-time Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay guard Andrei Vasilevsky, Lightning’s teammate Nikita Kucherov, Vezina Award winner Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers.
The five highest-earning Russian players receive an average annual salary of $11.1 million this season. Two-time Vezina Cup guard and $12 million nettender Sergey Bobrovsky participated in the Florida warm-up in a Pride-themed jersey.
Russian players almost never discuss the war, in part because they worry about the safety of their loved ones at home. It was not clear if there was any real threat behind the Blackhawks’ decision.
What is NHL history proud of?
The Stanley Cup debuted in parade pride in 2010 when then-Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sobel brought it to celebration in Chicago. A few years later, in 2013, the league partnered with the You Can Play Project, which advocates for LGBTQ+ participation in sports. The NHL added Pride ambassadors in 2016-17.
Rainbow Pride tape first appeared with the Edmonton Oilers in 2016. Now all 32 teams hold Pride Night, although many do without themed jerseys. The Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets call their night “Hockey for All.”
Pride Nights, like other themed events, are planned and organized by individual teams, not the NHL.
What was the reaction?
The You Can Play Project responded to Reimer’s decision by saying he was disappointed.
“Religion and respect are not mutually exclusive, and we are certainly disappointed when religion is used as a reason not to support our community,” the organization said.
The Nashville Predators, who expect Luke Prokop, who made history in 2021 as the first player signed to an NHL contract to come out as gay, called the Pride night incidents a “step backwards” for hockey.
What did the league officials say?
Defending the teams’ handling of the situation, NHL Commissioner Gary Pittman said the boycott was not about accepting intolerance.
“Whether or not you choose to take up a cause and make a statement on its behalf, if you choose not to, it doesn’t necessarily make you a bigot,” Bateman said last month. “I’m sure you don’t endorse every charity you hold on to, and you don’t get involved in every social cause. You pick and choose the ones that matter to you.”
The league declined to comment on the Blackhawks’ decision.
What then?
The teams with the upcoming Pride Nights have some decisions to be made. The Buffalo Sabers are scheduled to host their event on Monday, and the Vancouver Canucks on March 31. Each team has at least one Russian player.
It was not clear if players would wear Pride jerseys at loads, as teams have done in the past.
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