The National Hockey League (NHL) lacks diversity. While there is a lack of diversity when it comes to race and ethnicity, there is an even greater lack of diversity when it comes to sexuality. There are essentially no active NHL players who identify as anything other than straight, at least outwardly. There is one exception to the lack of diversity when it comes to sexuality and his name is Luke Prokop. Prokop is an NHL prospect who publicly came out as gay in July 2021 and is the only out player in the entire NHL organization.
The NHL’s attempts to make hockey a more inclusive space have not gone unnoticed by Queer fans trying to fit into the hockey community. Teams host annual Pride Night games where players dress in pride jerseys for pre-game warm-ups and use rainbow tape for their sticks in order to demonstrate that there is a space for the Queer community.
The NHL’s campaign “Hockey is for everyone” has been making a change. One study shows that Pride Nights have a positive impact on curtailing homophobic language and attitudes among players. However, their attempts to end discrimination based on sexual orientation have appeared to come to a screeching halt due to recent events spurred by Philadelphia Flyers player Ivan Provorov.
Provorov, a defenseman for the Flyers, boycotted the Flyer’s annual Pride Night celebrations back in January. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused to wear the team’s pride inspired warm-up jersey and therefore did not participate in the pre-game skate. Provorov identifies as Russian-Orthodox. Since then, multiple teams such as the Minnesota Wild, the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks, have canceled their Pride Nights. Multiple other players around the league have also decided to opt out of their respective Pride Nights, refusing to wear the warm-up pride jerseys.
There is growing concern that the league is beginning to pull back efforts to make the sport more LBGTQ+ inclusive. After Provorov’s decision to boycott Pride Night, the NHL released a statement that stated, “players are free to decide which initiatives to support.” Fans are beginning to worry that Pride Night celebrations will be canceled league wide in order to protect players from being accused of homophobia. The NHL is prioritizing the reputation of the players and monetary gains over inclusion of Queer people, demonstrating their efforts of diversity are nothing more than performative.
As many players are deciding to sit out of Pride Nights, other players are standing up to support the LGBTQ+ community. Edmonton Oilers captain, Connor McDavid, recently stated both he and his team strongly believe that hockey is for everyone and that the Oilers as a team are looking forward to their Pride Night. Quinn Hughes, alternate captain of the Vancouver Canucks, echoed McDavid’s sentiments, stating that players who truly believe hockey is for everyone will participate in the Pride Night events, and that he takes great pride in wearing the jersey. Both McDavid and Hughes are star players and fan favorites. They are only two examples of players around the league using their platform for good. While the future of Pride Nights is uncertain, players and fans alike are fighting to create space for the Queer community and prove that hockey truly is for everyone.