Is the NHL planning to cancel Pride Nights? Examining rumors behind controversial event

Vancouver Canucks v Chicago Blackhawks
Is the NHL planning to cancel Pride nights?

There has been a recent trend among several NHL teams to hold Pride Nights during games, with players wearing jerseys that celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community.

However, many of these plans have been scrapped since being made public. The most recent example was on March 7 when Minnesota Wild players chose not to wear special Pride Night jerseys that had been designed.

According to a report from The Athletic, there is a connection to Russia in all of this. Specifically, Russian NHL players have played a part in what has become a league-wide controversy due to the country's laws that restrict the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens.

As The Athletic notes, five percent of the NHL's players are Russian. The deeper connection here is to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the laws he's put into place in the country.

In December, the New York Times reported that the country passed a law that "makes it illegal to spread 'propaganda' about 'nontraditional sexual relations' in the media, advertising, movies or on social media."

There are still 14 NHL teams that have Pride Nights planned for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

Luke Prokop is the first openly gay active player in the NHL and plays for the Nashville Predators. He has spoken out about the Pride Night controversies that have happened this season in the league. He expressed his disappointment in players and teams who refused to wear Pride-themed jerseys to show their support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Ilya Lyubushkin refused to participate in the team's Pride Night warmup

Ilya Lyubushkin #46 of the Buffalo Sabres looks on against the Seattle Kraken
Ilya Lyubushkin #46 of the Buffalo Sabres looks on against the Seattle Kraken

Ilya Lyubushkin is a 28-year-old defenseman from Moscow who plays for the Buffalo Sabres. He refused to participate in the pregame warmup on the team's Pride Night, where players wear rainbow-colored jerseys in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Lyubushkin cited Russian law as his reasoning for opting out, saying that he fears retribution at home. He is not the only Russian player to decline participation in warmups with Pride-themed jerseys.

James Reimer also refused to take part, citing religious beliefs. The New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and Chicago Blackhawks also opted not to have players wear Pride jerseys at all.

But the Blackhawks and Lyubushkin specifically cited Russian law as their reasoning. The law passed last year in Russia expanded the restrictions on supporting LGBTQIA+ rights in the country. This makes it difficult for athletes to express their support for the community without fear of punishment or backlash.

Other NHL players who refused to wear Pride Night jerseys

Eric Staal and Marc Staal of the Florida Panthers opted not to wear Pride jerseys during warmups on Thursday for the Panthers' annual Pride Night. The brothers released a statement explaining that their decision was based on their Christian beliefs.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov opted not to participate in the team's warmups on January 17 before the game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Quick Links

Edited by John Maxwell
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications