Why are NHL players not allowed to use rainbow-colored stick tape on Pride nights?
Following years of maintaining an inclusive position, it appears the league has now done the opposite. What that means going forward is anybody’s guess.
Regardless of where you stand, the NHL has taken a stance. That’s not to say there is nothing to debate. Indeed, many are now questioning the league’s status as a beacon of inclusion and tolerance. Yet, what’s the reasoning behind this new decision? Let’s find out.
The NHL bans rainbow-colored sticks
According to reports, the NHL sent a memo to teams around the league last week in an effort to clarify what players can and cannot do when it comes to theme celebrations this season. Among the various things listed, there was one entry in particular that drew the ire of many i.e., a ban on the use of rainbow-colored stick tape for the Pride nights, an event that had already become a major talking point in the hockey world.
To be clear, the updated guidance addresses issues surrounding on-ice player uniforms and gear for games, warmups, and official team practices which it says cannot be altered to reflect theme nights, including Pride, Hockey Fights Cancer, or military appreciation celebrations. It goes on to add that players can voluntarily participate in themed celebrations off the ice. The move was confirmed by Deputy NHL Commissioner, Bill Daly, who indicated on Tuesday - just before opening night - that the league had in fact sent the memo to all teams.
The backlash against the NHL has begun
As you can probably guess, critique of the NHL’s decision was swift in coming. In a statement released by ‘The You Can Play Project’, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ participation in sports and has enjoyed a partnership with the NHL for the past decade, it was made clear that the league’s decision was not acceptable. “If Hockey is for Everyone, this is not the way forward,” the statement read. Indeed, there was more as well:
“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 pride-themed debate isn’t new in the NHL
If you’ve been following, you will know that the controversy surrounding players who wear pride-themed gear started last season in June, when the NHL decided to bar teams from wearing any themed jerseys during warmups after a few players chose not to during Pride night. Since that time, the league has indicated that players who chose not to wear themed jerseys only served as a distraction to the work that was being done by teams in their respective communities.
“You know what our goals, our values and our intentions are across the league, whether it’s at the league level or at the club level,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said in February during the All-Star Weekend. “But 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.”
So, which players opted out?
Of those who chose not to participate, the first was Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov who was noticeably not wearing a rainbow-colored jersey prior to the Flyers’ Pride night game back in January, citing his Russian Orthodox religion at the time. We then bore witness to six other players who did the same citing a number of different reasons. They included fellow Russians Ilya Lyubushkin, Denis Gurianov, and Andrei Kuzmenko, along with Canadians James Reimer and Eric and Marc Staal. It’s worth noting that a handful of teams also took the decision including the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, and Chicago Blackhawks.
What happens now between the NHL and Pride?
That’s a difficult question to answer. What’s certain is that the NHL’s move is seen as a blow to movements that support inclusivity. “The Pride Tape team is extremely disappointed by the NHL’s decision,” the makers of Pride Tape said in a statement. “Despite this setback, we are encouraged for what lies ahead based on our recent conversations from every corner of the sport.” Indeed, though the league has seemingly taken a step back, there are those around the league who clearly haven’t, such as Maple Leafs defenseman, Morgan Rielly, who told the media that he wished players had the right to do more and be more involved. “I’m going to continue to be involved in the community and offer support to those communities and those groups that want that (and) need that,” Rielly said.