7 NHL players who showed real support for gay fans and LGBTQ people
The NHL has numerous players who have shared public support for gay people and make the sport accepting of the LGBTQ community. The post 7 NHL players who showed real support for gay fans and LGBTQ people appeared first on Outsports.
Mark
HBO’s viral hit “Heated Rivalry” has taken the world by storm, both on and off the ice. The series about two hockey players who fall in love has ignited an interest in ice hockey and the NHL in general amongst gay sports fans and the general population at large.
The NHL has a spotty history with LGBTQ people, such as when they banned Pride Tape in 2023, but perhaps the league can use the success of the steamy series to garner more queer fans and show they are ready to adapt to the times.
On the flip side, the league was — before the Pride Tape ban — seen as an inclusive league for the LGBTQ community. The NHL’s long-time partnership with the You Can Play project has been an important step.
When athletes in major sports leagues show support for gay people, it goes a long way to create an environment of diversity.
Here are just some of the gay-friendly NHL players who have shown their support for LGBTQ people. And yes, there are many more.
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Travis Dermott, Free Agent
Travis Dermott is on the other end of the fame spectrum in comparison to Connor McDavid. Dermott is currently a free agent, but having someone who isn’t a star show his support for gay fans might take even more courage because of the consequences. Dermott was the first person to put Pride Tape on his stick after the ban in 2023.
Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
Roman Josi is the captain of the Nashville Predators. Josi has made sure to attend Pride events in Nashville as often as he can during his time in Tennessee. Considering that the state is a cesspool of homophobia and archaic beliefs, it makes it even more important for celebrities to ingrain themselves on the correct side of these things. Gay youth in Nashville can grow up knowing the leader of their hockey team sees and supports them!
Scott Laughton, Toronto Maple Leafs
When the NHL banned Pride Tape from the sticks of NHL players, Scott Laughton — then with the Philadelphia Flyers — said he would be using it anyway. “You’ll probably see me with the pride tape on that night anyway,” Charlie O’Connor reported Laughton as saying. “If they want to say something, they can.” He’s also an ambassador for You Can Play.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews has been known to wear shirts and other clothing to demonstrate support for the LGBTQ community, and trans people in particular. And when Luke Prokop came out publicly as gay, Matthews sent him a message saying he looks forward to sharing the ice with Prokop some day.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
All LGBTQ support is welcome in sports, but when it comes from one of the best players in the NHL, that’s even more valuable to the general audience. Connor McDavid is one of the true superstars in the sport. He’s a unanimous MVP and a multi-time All-Star. McDavid has been critical of homophobic policies in the NHL, such as in 2023 when he said how disappointed he was that the NHL banned Pride jerseys during warm-ups.
Jon Merrill, Free Agent
Jon Merrill was one of the first player voices in the NHL to oppose the league’s ban of Pride Tape on sticks, calling it a “disappointment” and seemingly daring the league to take action against a player using the Pride Tape. “If anyone does it, what is the league going to do?” Then-Minnesota Wild defenseman Merrill told The Athletic at the time. “Take me off the ice, give me a penalty? Then you look bad as a league. I don’t know. It’s upsetting. Just disappointing.”
Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs
This defencemen is one of the longest tenured players for the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the most recognizable brands in the NHL. Rielly has made an effort to support gay people in powerful ways.
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The post 7 NHL players who showed real support for gay fans and LGBTQ people appeared first on Outsports.
