Wearing the rainbow-colored jersey in support of the LGBTQ+ community continues to be debated, with the Chicago Blackhawks also declining it due to safety concerns towards their Russian players.
This was reported by journalist Mark Lazerus from The Athletic on Wednesday evening. The “Hawks” were scheduled to wear these uniforms while warming up before Sunday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Three of the organization’s players – Nikita Zaitsev, Philipp Kurashev and Anton Khudobin – have Russian roots or families, which puts them at risk under the country’s laws. In December, any support for LGBTQ+ “propaganda” was criminalized.
“While we know that matchday celebrations are an important way of giving our platform visibility, it is the work we do 365 days a year that makes a real impact in ensuring that all our colleagues, Fans and communities feel welcome and safe in our sport,” the Blackhawks said in a statement, according to Lazerus.
“We do not tolerate anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and strongly support the community,” she added.
The Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers are other rosters who decided against the rainbow uniform, likely due to the many Russian players in their roster. Ivan Provorov and James Reimer also refused to wear the Pride jersey because of their religious beliefs.