The National Hockey League’s Pride Jersey Controversy, Explained
Written by SOURCE on March 27, 2023
As the NHL continues to fight for more inclusion in the league, multiple teams have scheduled Pride Nights, where players wear jerseys celebrating and honouring the LGBTQ2IA+ community during the warmups.
Though many teams like the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames have celebrated Pride Night without a hitch, other teams have seen players withdraw themselves from the inclusion-friendly warmups. Some teams scrapped wearing the Pride jerseys altogether.
As Ilya Lyubushkin of the Buffalo Sabres becomes the latest NHL player to veto the opportunity to wear the Pride jersey during the team’s warmup, 2023 has seen the most controversy surrounding these nights of inclusion and acceptance.
Here’s a timeline explaining how the NHL’s Pride night fiasco has unfolded.
