Veteran Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton says he plans to continue using Pride tape on his stick despite a new league policy that bans it.
“You’ll probably see me with the Pride tape on that night,” Laughton said Wednesday in an interview with Charlie O'Connor of PHLY Sports.com. “I don’t know, I didn’t read really what it said, if it’s a ban or something, but I’ll probably have it on.
“We’ll see what they say, but it’s not gonna affect the way I go about it. If they want to say something, they can.”
The NHL introduced the new policy in June after a handful of players — including Laughton's former teammate Ivan Provorov — declined to wear special Pride-themed jerseys for warm-ups last season. In a memo recently sent to teams, the NHL said players are not to use rainbow-coloured Pride tape during warmups, nor are teams permitted to implement special-themed warmup jerseys worn by players to commemorate special events or causes — among them Pride Night, Hockey Fights Cancer, Black History Night, and shows of military appreciation.
Laughton has been a public ally of the 2SLGBTQ+ community over his entire 10-year career. He is a You Can Play ambassador and co-founder of the Flyers Pride Initiative with former teammate James van Riemsdyk. Last season, Laughton and van Riemsdyk donated four game tickets to local LGBTQ+ organizations for 12 home games. The players held meet and greets with the fans who received those tickets after each game.
“I think people should be welcome to play the game of hockey,” Laughton in an interview on the NHLPA's website earlier this year. “It doesn’t matter who you love, the colour of your skin, or what your background is, I just really think it’s the best game in the world and everyone should have an opportunity to play it or feel welcome watching it in the crowd.”
