Unwelcome spotlight falls on NHL team Pride night events

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Blackhawks Pride Night Hockey
FILE - Los Angeles Kings goaltender Calvin Petersen (40) holds a stick wrapped in rainbow tape for Pride night while warming up before an NHL hockey game Monday, April 26, 2021, in Los Angeles. At least one National Hockey League team with a Russian player on its roster has decided against wearing special warmup jerseys to commemorate Pride Night because of a Russian law that expands restrictions on activities seen as promoting LGBTQ rights. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

The Associated Press

The National Hockey League’s Pride nights are in the spotlight after some high-profile incidents.

The events have been held annually for several years by NHL teams to show support for the LGBTQ community.

A handful of players have objected to participating in recent months, most recently Florida’s Eric and Marc Staal on Thursday night.

That came on the heels of the Chicago Blackhawks deciding against having players wear Pride-themed warmup jerseys because the team thought an anti-gay law in Russia could endanger Russian players when they return home.

Russian goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and others in recent weeks have worn Pride-themed jerseys since Ivan Provorov refused.

Read the full story on AP News right here.

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3/24/2023 8:39:57 AM (GMT -5:00)

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