Connor McDavid isn害羞草研究所檛 a fan of the NHL害羞草研究所檚 new policy on themed warmup jerseys.

The league decided last week teams won害羞草研究所檛 wear special pre-game threads next season 害羞草研究所� the result of a handful of players refusing to sport rainbow-coloured Pride jerseys in 2022-23, which in turn caused unwelcome distractions.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 disappointing to see,害羞草研究所� McDavid, the face of the NHL and the superstar captain of the Edmonton Oilers, said at Monday night害羞草研究所檚 awards ceremony.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not my call, but obviously it害羞草研究所檚 disappointing.害羞草研究所�

The league害羞草研究所檚 board of governors agreed with commissioner Gary Bettman害羞草研究所檚 view that the jersey refusals overshadowed teams害羞草研究所� efforts in hosting Pride nights.

All 32 franchises held a Pride or 害羞草研究所淗ockey is for Everyone害羞草研究所� night in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

害羞草研究所淚 certainly can害羞草研究所檛 speak for every organization,害羞草研究所� said McDavid, who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. 害羞草研究所淚 know in Edmonton, we were one of the first teams to use the Pride tape.

害羞草研究所淲e strongly feel hockey is for everybody, and that includes the Pride nights.害羞草研究所�

Teams will still celebrate Pride and other theme nights, including military appreciation and Hockey Fights Cancer. Clubs are also expected to continue designing and producing jerseys to be autographed and sold to raise money, even though players won害羞草研究所檛 wear them during warmups.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said it was disappointing that the story this season was the few players who decided against wearing Pride jerseys.

害羞草研究所淚t was 98 per cent or 99 per cent of other players that wore the jersey and enjoyed wearing it and were proud wearing it 害羞草研究所� whatever jersey it was 害羞草研究所� whether it was the Pride, the military night, the cancer nights,害羞草研究所� said Stamkos, who won the Mark Messier Leadership Award. 害羞草研究所淭he story shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be about the guy that didn害羞草研究所檛 wear it 害羞草研究所� the one guy or the two guys.

害羞草研究所淚 understand that害羞草研究所檚 what gets the clicks and that害羞草研究所檚 what gets the views, but the word 害羞草研究所榙istraction害羞草研究所� gets thrown around. I don害羞草研究所檛 think it had to have been a distraction. It could have been a non-issue while focusing on the good that was coming out of those nights.害羞草研究所�

Bettman defended the league and teams害羞草研究所� handling of the situations at NHL all-star weekend in February, saying tolerance of varying viewpoints was part of being 害羞草研究所渙pen, welcoming and inclusive.害羞草研究所�

Seven players decided not to take part in warmups when their teams sported Pride jerseys before games. A few teams also chose to not have players wear them after planning to do so.

害羞草研究所淎ll the attention was taken away from the right reasons,害羞草研究所� said Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund, who won the King Clancy Award. 害羞草研究所淎ll of us were wearing the jerseys 害羞草研究所� everyone was looking (at), 害羞草研究所榃ho害羞草研究所檚 not and why not?害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 understand the decision the NHL made to take that distraction away. Teams can still have their nights 害羞草研究所� their special nights 害羞草研究所� and I think that害羞草研究所檚 a good thing.害羞草研究所�

Ivan Provorov, a Russian defenceman then with Philadelphia, was the first NHLer to refuse to wear a Pride-themed warmup jersey in January, citing his religion.

San Jose goaltender James Reimer, and brothers Eric and Marc Staal of Florida, who are all Canadian, also cited religious beliefs. Russian players Ilya Lyubushkin of Buffalo, Denis Gurianov of Montreal and Andrei Kuzmenko of Vancouver all opted out of their teams害羞草研究所� Pride night warmups.

Lyubushkin pointed to an anti-gay Kremlin law, which was also why the Chicago Blackhawks decided against Pride night jerseys. The New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild earlier opted against the jerseys after previously advertising they would have them.

害羞草研究所淓veryone has their beliefs, and I can害羞草研究所檛 speak on those,害羞草研究所� McDavid said. 害羞草研究所淎ll I can speak for is myself and us in Edmonton. I know we strongly support those type of nights.害羞草研究所�

Sergei Bobrovsky, who is Russian, took part in warmups the night the Staal brothers declined and in the aftermath of several countrymen deciding not to wear Pride jerseys.

害羞草研究所淚t was tough to see that some guys didn害羞草研究所檛,害羞草研究所� said Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang, who won the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication. 害羞草研究所淚 understand sometimes why they didn害羞草研究所檛, but to me, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean that you害羞草研究所檙e fully supporting or not supporting it.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just to make our sport accessible to everybody.害羞草研究所�

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