Luke Prokop has made it a point to be a leader on and off the ice with a personal goal of making hockey a more welcoming and inclusive sport.
As the first player under NHL contract to come out as gay, Prokop has been an important role model in trying to make "hockey for everyone." But in a statement released Monday night, the 20-year-old Nashville Predators prospect expressed his "disappointment" for what he called "a step back for inclusion in the NHL."
The statement comes days after San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer did not take part in pregame warmups last Saturday, saying the team's decision to wear Pride-themed jerseys in support of the LGBTQIA+ community runs counter to his religious beliefs. Reimer's decision followed a similar move by Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ivan Provorov and recent decisions by the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild to not have players wear Pride jerseys during warm-ups on Pride Nights. Writing about these decisions, Prokop said it was disheartening to see some teams and players not embrace the significance of wearing the jersey but added that he was more disappointed that the negative attention was taking away from what should be important celebrations of inclusion.
"Pride nights and pride jerseys play an important role in promoting and respecting inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community and it's disheartening to see some teams no longer wearing them or embracing their significance, while the focus of others has become about the players who aren't participating rather than the meaning of the night itself," Prokop wrote.
When Prokop came out as gay back in July of 2021, he was a trailblazer in the hockey community. His announcement received an outpouring of support on social media from fans, fellow players, teams and organizations. It also prompted a $100,000 donation from the NHL to a number of LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations.
In a statement released after Provorov declined to wear a Pride jersey ahead of a Flyers game in January, the NHL said "players are free to decide which initiatives to support."
"Everyone is entitled to their own set of beliefs and I think it's important to recognize the difference between endorsing a community and respecting individuals within it," Prokop wrote Monday. "Pride nights are an essential step towards fostering greater acceptance and understanding in hockey, and I strongly believe that by prioritizing diversity and inclusion, we can create an environment where every player feels comfortable bringing their authentic selves to the game. As someone who aspires to play on an NHL team one day, I would want to enter the locker room knowing I can share all parts of my identity with my teammates."
In a feature published on Sportsnet.ca, Prokop's family shared their concern about the opportunities to pursue his dream in a sport that isn’t always welcoming.
"One of my fears, to be brutally honest, was: You’re a drafted player, you’re on the right track, is something like this going to impact you negatively as you try to pursue your dream?" Prokop's father Al said at the time. "Are you going to get the chance to pursue your dream as fairly as somebody else?"
This season, Prokop — a defenceman who was a third-round pick by the Predators in 2020 — has split time between the WHL and ECHL registering 19 points in 40 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds and a point in eight games with the Norfolk Admirals.
"While there's still progress to be made before hockey is for everyone, I'm optimistic about the change we can achieve and am committed to being a part of it," he wrote.
