Florida Panthers heart Eric Staal and defenseman Marc Staal did not participate within the staff’s warmup previous to Thursday’s sport in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs after electing to not put on the staff’s Pride jerseys.
The Staal brothers launched an announcement on the staff’s Pride Night, saying that they selected to not put on the Pride jerseys as a result of it goes “in opposition to” their Christian beliefs.
“After many ideas, prayers and discussions now we have chosen to not put on a delight jersey tonight,” each Staal brothers stated. “We carry no judgement on how individuals select to reside their lives, and consider that each one individuals needs to be welcome in all points of the sport of hockey. Having stated that, we really feel that by us sporting a delight jersey it goes in opposition to our Christian beliefs.
“We hope you may respect this assertion, we won’t be talking any additional on this matter and wish to proceed to deal with the sport and serving to the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup.”
Eric Staal added after the sport — which Florida misplaced 6-2 — that he had by no means worn a Pride jersey in his NHL profession. That was rapidly confirmed incorrect, as there’s photograph proof of him, as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, sporting a Pride jersey throughout the 2020-21 season.
Aside from Eric Staal and Marc Staal, each different member of the Panthers roster participated in warmups whereas sporting the Pride jerseys. Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk said that “everyone’s welcome” within the Panthers locker room.
“An evening like tonight, for me, is basically all about together with everyone. In my opinion, it is the best sport on the planet,” Matthew Tkachuk stated following the sport. “Everybody’s welcome in my locker room and our locker room as a company. I believe our group’s achieved an unbelievable job.”
“I believe we had been one of many first groups to start out Pride Night,” Tkachuk added. “We’re persevering with the custom yearly and displaying each day that hockey is for each single particular person.”
Even although Russian gamers have been on the heart of a serious controversy relating to the LBGTQIA+ neighborhood — because of Russian president Vladimir Putin instituting a regulation that restricts the rights of LGBTQIA+ residents — Russia native and Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky took half in pregame warmups whereas sporting the Pride-themed jersey.
The Staal brothers aren’t the primary NHL gamers to refuse to put on their staff’s Pride-themed jerseys. It’s been one thing that has been occurring all season.
In January, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov determined to not take part in pregame warmups as he did not want to put on the staff’s Pride jersey. Provorov cited his Russian Orthodox non secular beliefs as the rationale for refusing to put on the jersey.
Since then, San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer additionally refused to participate within the staff’s pregame skate as a consequence of the truth that he did not need put on the staff’s Pride jersey. The Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers did not put on Pride jerseys in any respect throughout warmups for his or her respective Pride Nights regardless of having beforehand deliberate to take action. You can learn extra concerning the NHL’s ongoing situation with Pride Nights across the league right here.
