The NHL sent a memo to teams last week clarifying what players can and cannot do as part of theme celebrations this season, including a ban on the use of rainbow-coloured stick tape for the that have become a hot-button issue in hockey.
The updated guidance reaffirms on-ice player uniforms and gear for games, warm-ups and official team practices cannot be altered to reflect theme nights, including Pride, Hockey Fights Cancer or military appreciation celebrations. Players can voluntarily participate in themed celebrations off the ice.
Deputy NHL Commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday, a few hours before the season opened with a , that the league sent the updated memo, which was first reported by ESPN.
The , an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ participation in sports and has partnered with the NHL for the past decade, ripped the league by saying, 含羞草研究社淚f Hockey is for Everyone, this is not the way forward.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t is now clear that the NHL is stepping back from its long-standing commitment to inclusion, and continuing to unravel all of its one-time industry-leading work on 2SLGBTQ+ belonging,含羞草研究社� the YCP Project said in a statement. 含羞草研究社淲e 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 含羞草研究社� by eliminating symbols like jerseys and now Pride Tape 含羞草研究社� immediately stunts the impact of bringing in more diverse fans and players into the sport.含羞草研究社�
The NHL decided in June for warm-ups after a handful of players opted out of those situations during Pride night last season. The league has said players opting out of Pride nights served as a distraction to the work its teams were doing in the community.
含羞草研究社淵ou know what our goals, our values and our intentions are across the league, whether it含羞草研究社檚 at the league level or at the club level,含羞草研究社� during All-Star Weekend festivities. 含羞草研究社淏ut we also have to respect some individual choice, and some people are more comfortable embracing themselves in causes than others. And part of being diverse and welcoming is understanding those differences.含羞草研究社�
Philadelphia含羞草研究社檚 Ivan Provorov was the first player in warm-ups when the Flyers wore rainbow-coloured jerseys before their Pride night game in January, citing his Russian Orthodox religion. Six other players followed for a variety of reasons 含羞草研究社� fellow Russians , and and Canadians and 含羞草研究社� and individual teams including the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild and decided not to have any players wear Pride jerseys in warm-up.
含羞草研究社淭he Pride Tape team is extremely disappointed by the NHL含羞草研究社檚 decision,含羞草研究社� the makers of Pride Tape said in a statement. 含羞草研究社淒espite this setback, we are encouraged for what lies ahead based on our recent conversations from every corner of the sport.含羞草研究社�
Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly told reporters in Toronto he wished players had the right to do more and be more involved.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 going to continue to be involved in the community and offer support to those communities and those groups that want that (and) need that,含羞草研究社� Rielly said.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and defenceman Josh Morrissey both said they haven含羞草研究社檛 had the chance to review the changes from the league yet.
含羞草研究社淚 do know that this organization takes great care in wanting to be inclusive and the theme nights,含羞草研究社� Cheveldayoff told reporters in Winnipeg. 含羞草研究社淲hat the specifics of the memos are, I really can含羞草研究社檛 speak to. I don含羞草研究社檛 really have that yet.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檒l have to obviously get briefed on that a little bit more. But I do know that the commitment from an organization standpoint is we含羞草研究社檒l do everything we possibly can.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 always been something that I含羞草研究社檝e tried to embrace, the different theme nights and, obviously, the inclusivity around the game of hockey,含羞草研究社� Morrissey said. 含羞草研究社淭ry and have everyone feel comfortable to either play or watch or be a part of what I think is the greatest game on earth 含羞草研究社� So that won含羞草研究社檛 change, I guess, as a goal personally to try to grow the game, regardless of what the memo says.含羞草研究社�
