Former Leaf Refuses To Wear Pride Jersey

The National Hockey League's (NHL) Pride Night controversy continues to escalate as more players choose not to wear Pride-themed jerseys during warmups. The latest athlete to join the list is Buffalo Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin, who will not participate in the pre-game warmups when the Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center.

Lyubushkin Refuses To Wear Pride Jersey

Lyubushkin's decision, as reported by the Buffalo News, is attributed to safety concerns linked to President Vladimir Putin's expanded law restricting activities perceived as promoting LGBTQ rights.


This growing trend started with Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov, who cited religious reasons for not participating in Pride Night. Since then, San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer, Florida Panthers' Eric and Marc Staal, and even entire teams like the New York Rangers, have opted out of these events.

As the NHL grapples with the increasing number of players abstaining from Pride-themed activities, the league must find a way to balance the promotion of inclusivity while respecting the individual concerns of its players.

As seen on Hockey Feed - Lyubushkin refuses to wear a Pride jersey on Monday night.