NHL players won’t be allowed to put Pride-themed tape on their sticks while on the ice this season as part of a decision made by the board of governors in June, multiple league sources have confirmed to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
Outsports first reported the news. Alu Glass Cloth Tape
As the league prepares for the opening of its 2023-24 regular season on Tuesday, the topic of players not being allowed to use Pride-themed tape on their sticks was a talking point around the league.
“It’s their decision. We’re going to support Pride any way we can other than the tape,” Flames captain Mikael Backlund said. “We’re going to follow the rules and do what we’re told.”
When asked how he could show Pride allyship without using tape on his stick, Backlund pointed at other initiatives available to players.
“The Calgary Flames Foundation has always marched in the Pride parade. I’ve done it in Sweden and guys have done it in different places in the world,” Backlund said, “So that’s an easy way for us to show our support and that we support Pride.”
Calgary forward Jonathan Huberdeau has used Pride-themed tape on his stick for an entire game in the past and sounded like he might be willing to continue that tradition, even in light of the new policy.
“For me personally, I support it,” Huberdeau said Tuesday. “If I get the chance to do it, I’ll do it.”
But when pressed if he would be willing to risk a fine or punishment for going against league policy, Huberdeau conceded that he likely wouldn’t push the envelope. “No. I probably won’t,” said Huberdeau. “I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“This organization, we’ve always been supporters of the LGTBQ community,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving told reporters Tuesday. “Nothing is going to change with that.”
On Tuesday afternoon, The You Can Play Project — an organization that works “to ensure the safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports, including LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches and fans” — issued a scathing statement about the NHL’s decision on X.
You Can Play speaks on the NHL’s decision to disallow pride symbols of any kind, including Pride jerseys and Pride tape on the ice for warm ups and games. pic.twitter.com/CobD5TSEnK
— You Can Play (@YouCanPlayTeam) October 10, 2023
“It is now clear that the NHL is stepping back from its longstanding commitment to inclusion, and continuing to unravel all of its one-time industry-leading work on 2SLGBTQ+ belonging. We are now at a point where all the progress made, and relationships established with our community, is in jeopardy. Making decisions to eradicate our visibility in hockey — by eliminating symbols like jerseys and now Pride Tape — immediately stunts the impact of bringing in more diverse fans and players into the sport,” the statement read in part. “We call on all allies, players, fans, and coaches at every level in hockey to amplify their voices and join us in this important conversation and to remind the NHL #WhyThisMatters. This includes the NHLPA and the NHLCA. Hockey is safer and better when more of us belong.”
Last week, the league reportedly sent two memos to teams clarifying its guidance about what players and teams can do for “special initiatives,” including Pride night, Black History night, Hockey Fights Cancer night and Military Appreciation night.
The latest memo said restrictions cover “on-ice activity” and said “players should be encouraged to express themselves off the ice,” ESPN reported. It also reportedly said players and teams are allowed to “celebrate and support” specialty causes, and host themed groups at games, while players can wear “whatever they want” as long as they adhere to their team’s dress code.
At the NHL board of governors meeting in June, league officials decided not to wear specialty jerseys during warmups during the 2023-24 season.
“I suggested that it would be appropriate for clubs not to change their jerseys in warmups because it’s become a distraction and taking away from the fact that all of our clubs, in some form or another, host nights in honor of various groups or causes, and we’d rather those continue to get the appropriate attention that they deserve and not be a distraction,” NHL commissioner Gery Bettman said June 22.
NHL rules around Pride nights, specifically, came into the spotlight last season as some players took issue with participating in them. Multiple players and teams opted to not wear the Pride warmup jerseys, citing religious reasons or safety concerns.
Multiple Russian players opted out of wearing the Pride night warmup jersey as Russian anti-gay laws escalated. Russian players including Buffalo Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin did not wear the jersey and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov, then on the Philadelphia Flyers, sat out of warmups entirely. Some of the teams, like the St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild, scrapped the warmup sweaters entirely.
In March, San Jose goaltender James Reimer declined to wear a Pride jersey to participate in the Sharks Pride Night, citing his religious beliefs.
“There’s a bunch of teams starting to wear them and I just came to the conviction through my faith that it went against what I believe the Bible says,” he said. “I don’t want to really go into too much detail about the behind-the-scenes stuff. But it’s something that I tried to do my due diligence and just came to the fact that the best way to stand up for what I believe in was just to not wear the jersey and then to try and make this as loving and least offensive as possible.”
Florida Panthers players Marc and Eric Staal also did not participate in warmups as part of the Florida Panthers Pride night in March. The brothers cited their Christian beliefs in their decision to not take part in wearing the themed warmup jerseys as the Panthers host the Toronto Maple Leafs. “After many thoughts, prayers and discussions we have chosen not to wear a pride jersey tonight,” the Steal brothers wrote in a statement. “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.”
In June, Bettman told team governors all theme nights were important and should be continued, but the uniforms had “become a distraction” and teams would not wear them this season. Bettman said players can “choose to model” those jerseys, but the new rule was about “what’s on the ice.”
(Photo: Rich Lam / Getty Images)
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