NHL reverses ban on rainbow Pride stick tape; LGBTQ group calls it 'a win for us all'

The National Hockey League has reversed its recent ban on rainbow Pride stick tape.

What are the details?

The NHL, players’ union, and an inclusion committee agreed Tuesday to give players the option to represent social causes with stick tape during warm-ups, practices, and games, the Associated Press reported.

More from the AP:

Pride nights became a hot-button issue in hockey after six players chose not to participate in pregame warmups last season when their team wore rainbow-themed jerseys. Teams this season are not allowed to wear any kind of theme jerseys, including military appreciation and Hockey Fights Cancer, for warmups.

The tape ban drew criticism from players around the league, longtime executive Brian Burke and others. Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton told reporters he’d probably use it anyway, and Arizona’s Travis Dermott defied the ban over the weekend by putting rainbow-colored tape on his stick for a game.

The NHL Players’ Association said it was “pleased to see the league’s policy has been revised so that players are free to support causes they believe in," the outlet added.

The makers of Pride Tape said on social media regarding the reversal, “We are so very grateful to everyone who believes hockey should be a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for all. We are extremely happy that NHL players will now have the option to voluntarily represent important social causes with their stick tape throughout season," the AP also reported.

The You Can Play Project — which advocates for LGBTQ+ participation in sports and has partnered with the NHL for a decade — called the reversal “a win for us all," the outlet noted.

“Actively welcoming communities into hockey is imperative to keep the sport strong now and into the future,” You Can Play said in a statement, according to the AP. “We appreciate every person, team and organization that made their voice heard to support this change and appreciate the NHL’s willingness to listen and make the right choice.”

Anything else?

Last season, then-Philadelphia Flyers player Ivan Provorov cited his Russian Orthodox faith when he refused to skate before a Pride Night game since his teammates were wearing LBGTQ colors.

Readers of Blaze News may recall that a number of sports journalists were upset by Provorov's stance, including E.J. Hradek — senior reporter for the NHL Network — who suggested Provorov could "go back" to Russia and "maybe get involved" in the war against Ukraine if he didn't want to wear rainbow colors.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!