Mixed feelings, disappointment around the NHL pride night controversies
Mixed feelings, disappointment around the NHL pride night controversies
Two NHL hockey players with northern Ontario roots find themselves in an unwelcomed spotlight after refusing to don pride-themed jerseys.
Brothers and current Florida Panthers players Eric and Marc Staal, both originally from Thunder Bay, Ont., decided to sit out of pride-themed pre-game warmups and celebrations ahead of Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Staals released this statement on their decision through the Panthers’ public relations team:
“After many thoughts, prayers and discussions we have chosen not to wear a pride jersey tonight.
We carry no judgment on how people choose to live their lives, and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey.
Having said that, we feel that by us wearing a pride jersey it goes against our Christian beliefs.
We hope you can respect this statement, we will not be speaking any further on this matter and would like to continue to focus on the game and helping the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup.
Eric and Marc Staal”
The Staals refusal to wear pride-themed jerseys during the NHL’s celebratory event has disappointed some in their hometown.
Officials with the Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay, a 2SLGBTQ+ group founded in 2021, said they felt it sent the wrong message to those who may look up to the brothers.
Jason Veltri, the collective’s president, said inclusion and awareness and welcoming is the foundation of what these nights are about.
“They (the Staals) have contributed in ways to our community that will last legacies,” said Veltri.
“I think this is just massively disappointing for them as leaders in the hockey community, not only locally here in Thunder Bay, but in Canada.”
The decision comes after fellow Canadian James Reimer, goaltender for the San Jose Sharks, refused to wear a pride-themed Jersey for warmups before his game on March 18. The Chicago Black Hawks have also released a statement indicating out of concern for Russian players after the Kremlin passed legislation outlawing “gay propaganda” they will not be wearing pride jerseys -- however other pride-themed activities will still be part of the night.
“There are youth that are looking up to these leaders within the NHL community and trying to emulate them,” said Veltri, while expressing disappointment himself.
The pride night games have been organized by You Can Play Project, an organization dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community for over a decade.
The project worked with 30 different pro organizations, including a partnership with the NHL, to share that message.
“It’s about saying listen, a little extra love, a little extra visibility, shows that you’re welcome here,” said the You Can Play Project’s chief operating officer Kurt Weaver.
“Usually it’s to communities either traditionally weren’t hockey fans, or you know, maybe didn’t feel as welcome in hockey.”
Eric Staal was questioned about his previous participation in pride-themed events after the game, which he denied even after photos have surfaced of him wearing a pride-themed jersey during his time with the Montréal Canadiens.
His brother, Marc, a former Sudbury Wolves captain was recently honoured by the Greater Sudbury community and the Wolves organization itself in an event where his jersey and number retired.
Fierté Sudbury Pride, a group dedicated to supporting, educating and celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ population of the City of Greater Sudbury which was formed in 1997 and formally incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2012, told CTV News that recent events speak to a bigger concern of an unspoken divide between the queer and hockey communities.
Laur O’Gorman, vice-chair of the Sudbury pride organization, said while they ultimately do not agree with the reasoning behind the Staals’ decision there are some mixed feelings.
“On one hand it’s like ‘I don’t want you in my jersey, I don’t want you representing us if you’re not a safe person to be around,’” said O’Gorman.
“Somebody wearing a rainbow and making it look like it’s a safe space to be when it’s not could be very harmful.”
Officials with Fierté Sudbury Pride said for 2SLGBTQ+ youth seeing themselves represented is important.
“It’s such a tiny but important symbol of maybe queer kids who are playing hockey seeing themselves out there or seeing they might be safe to stay in hockey, that hockey can become a place to see themselves as they grow,” said O’Gorman.
CTV News did reach out to the Sudbury Wolves, but the organization declined to comment on the matter.
Both O’Gorman and Veltri said this unfortunate event symbolizes that there is much more work to be done and that there needs to be more education and visibility within the hockey community.
With the latest hike bringing Canada's key interest rates to levels not seen since 2001, one mortgage broker is warning that it may be 'the last straw' for some homeowners with variable mortgages.
It's been a busy, tumultuous few days for Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex as he took his place on the witness stand in his trial against the Mirror Group Newspapers. Here are royal commentator Afua Hagan's top takeaways from his two-day grilling.
Poor air quality is forecast to persist into the weekend across parts of Ontario, as plumes of wildfire smoke blanket the province and prompt school boards to limit outdoor activities.
The Bank of Canada's latest decision to raise its key interest rate comes at a time when many are struggling to afford their homes. CTVNews.ca wants to hear from people in Canada who are going to great lengths to find affordable housing.
One of the architects of the law that governs Canada's prison system says it's understandable people want revenge on killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, but that's not what the prison system is designed for.
With social media ever-present in modern life, figuring out when and how to introduce it to children is something every parent will have to deal with eventually. CTV's Your Morning spoke to a child-life specialist about how parents can have that conversation and be positive role models too.
Multiple municipalities across Simcoe County are under fire bans amid tinder-dry conditions igniting concerns about the potential dangers of out-of-control fires.
The air quality in Toronto has become so polluted due to forest fires in Quebec and Ontario that strenuous outdoor activities could leave you coughing and with an itchy throat.
A regulatory body has revoked the licence of a Mississauga homebuilder after it says that the company demanded that a buyer pay an additional $518,000 for a property that they already had a contract to purchase.
High levels of air pollution have developed in Waterloo region and Wellington County as smoke plumes from wildfires burning in Quebec and northeastern Ontario continue to blow into the region, Environment Canada says.
A lifejacket and a swift response by the community are credited with saving the life of a swimmer who had drifted from shore near Grand Bend last weekend.
Smoke from wildfires in Quebec and Northern Ontario is finding its way into the region. While the London, Ont. area has escaped the extreme haze seen over parts of Eastern Ontario, a special air quality advisory is in effect — anyone looking up Tuesday evening could see why.
Construction has started on Dundas Street between Quebec and Egerton streets. The work is for the East London Link and is expected to take about two months to complete.
Further evacuations are necessary in Abitibi and Nord-du-Québec due to forest fires. Although the situation has improved on the North Shore due to rain, no precipitation is expected further west until Monday.
In an interview on CJAD 800 Radio, Quebec Conservative Party leader Eric Duhaime said the new measures in place related to Quebec's ammendments to the French Language Charter have made Quebec a 'laughingstock' and that phone and website messages are 'offensive.'
One of the architects of the law that governs Canada's prison system says it's understandable people want revenge on killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, but that's not what the prison system is designed for.
The chief of the Shelburne Volunteer Fire Department says the blaze near Barrington Lake, which is now classified as “held,” is unlike anything he’s ever seen.
Halifax media outlets were given a tour of the neighbourhoods hardest hit by the Tantallon wildfire Tuesday afternoon and saw firsthand the damage and destruction left behind.
Irving Oil says it’s undertaking a “strategic review” with an eye to its future. In a release Wednesday, the company says it’s looking at a number of options, including the sale of its assets.
The man who was found not criminally responsible in the stabbing deaths of five people at a house party in Brentwood more than nine years ago is seeking more freedoms.
The man who was found not criminally responsible in the stabbing deaths of five people at a house party in Brentwood more than nine years ago is seeking more freedoms.
A reward of $100,000 is up for grabs as police in Metro Vancouver renew calls for help finding 36-year-old Cody Timothy Casey—a man wanted Canada-wide for a total of 17 drugs and firearms offences.
The pounding sounds of running on hardwood, the smash of the ball hitting the boards and the cheer of the crowd—it’s officially lacrosse season at Queens Park Arena in New Westminster.
