No decision yet whether Vancouver Canucks will don Pride jerseys
Several NHL teams and players are refusing to wear Pride jerseys, prompting questions about what the Vancouver Canucks will be sporting at an upcoming game.
Not donning the rainbow-coloured jerseys would be seen as a real setback for many people who love the game.
Brennan Roy-Bertin, a hockey player with The Cutting Edges Hockey Club, an inclusive hockey league with dozens of members from the LGBTQ2S+ community, said he stopped playing minor hockey in Grade 9 due to a discriminatory environment.
“Being in the dressing room or even being on the ice, there was a lot of homophobic slurs going around,” he said. “No one wants to be part of that.”
In the last few weeks, players like San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and brother Eric and Marc Staal from the Florida Panthers have refused to wear the Pride jersey, citing religious reasons. Roy-Bertin said he used to look up to the Staals.
“I grew up watching the Staals, they were great hockey players. I idolized them, so for them to say something like that, it’s a little disheartening. To me, it's a step back,” he told CTV News.
On Twitter, Luke Prokop, an openly gay professional hockey player with the Seattle Thunderbirds, said he shares the disappointment, “in what feels like a step back for inclusion in the NHL.”
The Chicago Blackhawks also opted for its team not to wear the jerseys, referring to an anti-gay Kremlin propaganda law they say could jeapordize the safety of some of their Russian players.
Florian Gassner, a professor at The University of British Columbia who specializes in Central and Eastern European cultural history, said the Blackhawks’ reasoning holds some merit.
“This is not just something about the morality police, this has geopolitical implications, which is probably why teams like the Blackhawks are so careful to tread lightly in this environment,” he said. “Therefore, you could also say that it’s basically the Blackhawks or the NHL just protecting their brand, because otherwise they could become subject to censorship in Russia.”
The Vancouver Canucks also have Russian players on their team: Vasily Podkolzin, Andrei Kuzmenko and Vitali Kravtsov.
In a statement to CTV News, the team said it will be releasing more information closer to game night and that it has “a long and proud history of hosting pride events.”
They team has donned Pride jerseys since 2017, and many fans hope they’ll continue the tradition.
"It’s so much more than that. It’s really their ability to bring the community together for a game and show the support from the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL and the community at large in Vancouver,” Roy-Bertin said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest finally got down to musical business Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.