Pride Nights, held annually for several years by National Hockey League teams to show support for the LGBTQ community, is back in the spotlight this season after several high-profile incidents.
A handful of players have objected to participating in pregame warmups that include Pride-themed jerseys, most recently Florida’s Eric and Mark Staal on Thursday night. On Wednesday, the Chicago Blackhawks decided to have players wear Pride-themed warmup jerseys for their upcoming Pride night, citing an anti-gay law in Russia.
What are the objections?
The Staal brothers and San Jose’s James Reimer – who is Canadian – and Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov, who is Russian, all pointed to their religious beliefs for refusing to participate in the warmup.
“We do not pass 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,” Eric and Mark Staal said in a statement. “Having said that, we feel that by us wearing the Pride jersey, it 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 upon returning home as it expands restrictions on supporting LGBTQ 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 issues of the world, so it slips out of our hands.”
The New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild decided not to wear Pride-themed jerseys during warmups after the commercial. While each team has at least one star Russian player on its roster, neither has specified a reason for the change.
Is this related to Russia’s war in Ukraine?
To some extent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and anti-gay legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin in December have caused some problems for the NHL and its 32 teams.
No other 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 approximately 6.4% of all players. They include No. 2 career goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, two-time Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Andrei Vasilevsky of Tampa Bay, Lightning teammate and 2019 MVP Nikita Kucherov and Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers.
The top five highest-paid Russian players this season receive an average annual salary of $11.1 million.
Russian sportsmen almost never discuss the war out of concern for the safety of their loved ones at home. It was unclear whether there was a credible threat behind the Blackhawks’ decision.
What is the history of the NHL proud of?
The Stanley Cup first appeared in a Pride parade in 2010, when then-Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel brought it to the ceremony 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 Team Pride ambassadors in 2016–17.
The Rainbow Pride Stick Tape debuted in 2016 with the Edmonton Oilers. All 32 teams now hold Pride Nights, although many do so without themed jerseys. The Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets held their night called “Hockey is for Everyone”.
Pride Nights, like other themed events, are planned and staged by individual teams, not the NHL.
What has been the response?
The You Can Play Project responded to Reimer’s decision, saying that it was disappointed.
“Religion and respect are not in conflict with each other, and we are certainly dismayed when religion is used as a reason not to support our community,” the organization said.
Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop, who made history in 2021 as the first player to sign an NHL contract to come out as gay, called the events of Pride Night a “step back” for hockey.
What did the league officials say?
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the boycott was not about accepting bigotry.
Bateman said last month, “Whether or not you choose to embrace and positively make a statement on behalf of a cause if you choose not to do so, that doesn’t necessarily make you a fanatic. ” “I’m sure you don’t support every single charity that solicits you, and you don’t participate in every social cause. You pick and choose the ones that are important to you.”
The league declined to comment on the Blackhawks’ decision.
What will happen next?
The teams having Pride Nights have some decisions to make. The Buffalo Sabers are set to host their event on Monday and the Vancouver Canucks on March 31. Each team has at least one Russian player.
It was unclear whether players would wear Pride jerseys in warmups, as the teams have done in the past.