Unlike some of his compatriots, Russia’s Nikita Zadorov donned the specially designed Flames rainbow logo jersey for “Pride Night” during Tuesday’s warm-up against the Los Angeles Kings. And not only was he wearing it, but the defender took the opportunity to greet supporters and hand out sticks.
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The day before, Sabers Moscow defender Ilya Lyubushkin refused to wear the specially created shirt ahead of a game against the Canadian. He skipped the warm-up, citing an anti-gay Kremlin law that made him fear for his safety and that of his family members living in Russia.
That didn’t seem to deter Zadorov, the same hulking full-back who posted the ‘no war’ message on his social media after Russia’s first attacks in Ukraine last year. This release is still featured prominently on the Instagram account of the defender.
A former Red Army
Zadorov, also a native of Moscow, played for the Red Army junior team before continuing his junior internship in North America with the London Knights in 2012.
But the former Sabers, Blackhawks and Avalanche looks set to return to his home country on time, as evidenced by a photo released less than two years ago showing him at Gazprom Arena, the Zenith football stadium in SAINT PETERSBURG.
Zadorov didn’t speak about his reasons for donning the shirt, which has been the case ever since put up for auction. But in the Flames dressing room, it seemed clear from the start of the week that all players would don it.
“Everybody’s on the same page in our locker room,” defense attorney MacKenzie Weegar told reporters. Everyone feels more than comfortable in this sweater. Many of us have spoken about it and no one disagreed. »
“Everyone is welcome in this locker room and in this arena and we are all very happy to put it on,” he added.
Defense attorney Rasmus Andersson posted a photo of himself in the uniform on Twitter and said he was “proud to wear this beautiful sweater”.
If that’s not the case in Calgary, the National League’s initiative has caused much controversy elsewhere on the circuit this season. Ivan Provorov, a Russian defender for the Flyers, also refused to wear the Pride jersey for religious reasons. He was imitated by the Sharks’ James Reimer and the Panthers’ Eric and Marc Staal.
Also in Chicago
Some teams simply chose not to wear the uniform designed specifically for this type of event, including the Rangers, the Wild and the Blackhawks. The reason given in Chicago was that the club’s Russian players could face setbacks in their home country due to the law cited by Lyubushkin. New York and Minnesota also have athletes from Russia in their ranks.
This law prohibits the promotion of anything that qualifies as “non-traditional sexual relations.” Introduced in 2013, it was tightened by the Kremlin last year.
prohibitions concern “the media, the Internet, literature and cinema” or also advertising.
Violators are punished with heavy fines and foreigners violating this law can be expelled.
Malkin wore it
Alongside Zadorov, Evgeni Malkin had chosen to wear the jersey of pride during the evening organized by the Penguins last December.
In Montreal, the initiative will take place on April 6 in a game against the Capitals.
Could Denis Gurianov, the Canadian’s only Russian player, address religious reasons or fear of reprisals to avoid him tonight? The topic has not yet reached the team’s environment, David Savard said at the beginning of the week.