One NHL team found a clever workaround to the league’s misguided ban on rainbow jerseys.
The New Jersey Devils, who will hold their annual Pride Night Thursday, are permitting their players to wear specially designed rainbow jerseys as they enter the arena. The NHL’s policy says specialty jerseys can’t be worn on the ice during warmups or a game, but it says nothing about wearing themed uniforms beforehand.
Take that, Gary Bettman!
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The NHL commissioner panicked and banned Pride jerseys over the offseason, after a small number of players refused to wear rainbow regalia last year. Bettman bowed to the homophobes, prompting months of backlash.
The low point for the league came before days before the start of the 2023-34 season, when the NHL also issued a ban on Pride tape.
But mercifully, that edict was short-lived. Scores of players spoke out, and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott wrapped his stick in Pride tape, anyway, defying the league.
While the Devils are still technically adhering to NHL policy, it’s easy to spot their defiance. As Outsports reports, the jerseys were designed by local artist Kathryn Kennedy “to represent coming out, this notion of breaking the barrier to be able to live freely and openly.”
The sweaters, which are white, feature the Devils insignia with rainbow dots behind it.
Better yet, the jerseys will be auctioned off for a great cause. Proceeds will go towards Hyacinth, a New Jersey-based organization working to stop the spread of HIV and other STIs.
The Devils are one of the most pro-LGBTQ+ teams in the league, holding a Pride Night every year since 2017. One of their former high-ranking execs, Joe Altenau, publicly came out as gay in 2017 as well. The team currently employs one of the few out LGBTQ+ people in hockey development, Director of Player Development Megan Duggan.
With that in mind, it’s fitting one of the NHL’s staunchest allies, Kurtis Gabriel, enjoyed a stint playing for the Devils. The forward wrapped his stick in Pride Tape in 2019, and scored a goal!
A couple of years later, Gabriel kept his allyship going with rainbow tape and rainbow skates.
While Devils players aren’t mandated to wear rainbow jerseys, hopefully many of them will. And for those who don’t, we only ask for an explanation! One of the worst parts of the league’s Pride fiascos last season was the unwillingness of teams and players to take accountability.
When the Devils announced their Pride Night Wednesday on social media, they were applauded by LGBTQ+ fans and allies alike.
Love it 🥰 pic.twitter.com/8ZXSPfKuvV
— min | is a book blog account actually 🇧🇷 (@minandherbooks) December 20, 2023
slay
— marianna (@hockeyy86) December 20, 2023
Though the season is only two months old, Bettman’s outrageous specialty jersey ban has sparked widespread outrage. A couple of weeks ago, Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury donned a custom mask for the team’s Native American heritage night, even though he was disobeying league policy.
Unsurprisingly, Fleury wasn’t fined or disciplined.
For years, the NHL made strides towards improving LGBTQ+ inclusion, partnering with You Can Play and pushing its “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative. Every team has hosted some sort of Pride or inclusion night.
The league’s Pride jersey ban, however, erases that goodwill. The NHL may say “Hockey is for Everyone,” but clearly, doesn’t mean it.
When Dermott was asked about his Pride tape in October, he said the league’s callous treatment of its LGBTQ+ fans took a toll on him.
“I’d be lying if I said I haven’t shed tears about this on multiple occasions,” he said. “So yeah, it’s something I’m definitely very passionate about.”
Dermott isn’t alone. Two weeks ago, Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand wrapped his stick in Pride tape, and was rewarded with a hat trick.
Teams have also come up with cheeky ways to jab at the league. Two Buffalo Sabres players, for example, performed their own “speed dating” skit.
Bettman seemingly thought banning Pride jerseys and accessories would clamp down on controversy. Instead, the inverse has happened.
He deserves it. Here’s hoping Devils players make him look even more foolish tomorrow night.
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Kangol2
Clever Devils!
johncp56
Hockey you Devils are the best to do this, new love Hockey men
Clara
Garry Bettman deserves all the boos and not just for this. One of the reasons why I’ve heard there has been push back (although it sounds like most players and organizations are supportive) from a few players; mostly the ones from Russia. Hockey is big in Russia and there are a lot of Russian players in the NHL. Again from what I’ve heard and read, it’s not even that the Russian players are anti-LGTBQ+ it’s just that even being a part of this can cause a lot of issues for them and their families back in Russia.
I’ve been to “The Rock” for a friend’s fundraiser, and even though they are a local rival team, they really do seem to have a great organization and support their players and fans!
Jim
The NHL needs to support their gay Russian players too.
dario717
From a Fly-Guys fan, good on you Devils. Good on you.
Baron Wiseman
All is now well in the world with virtue signaling and approval seeking firmly in place.