Montreal Canadiens forward Denis Gurianov won’t participate in warmup for the team’s Pride night on Thursday ahead of a game against the Washington Capitals, head coach Martin St. Louis said.
The Canadiens will wear rainbow-coloured warmup jerseys as part of the Pride night celebration.
St. Louis said Gurianov’s decision was for family reasons.
“I think anybody can say you’d always try to protect your family, so I have a tough time judging that,” said St. Louis. “[Gurianov] is a great kid, it’s tough.”
Despite Gurianov sitting out, St. Louis stressed how important the night is for the organization.
“We’re all on this planet, we should love each other, and tonight’s one of those nights,” he said.
The jerseys will be auctioned off after the game, with proceeds benefitting You Can Play, a non-profit committed to fighting homophobia in sports, and GRIS-Montreal, a research and social intervention group which demystifies homosexuality, bisexuality and gender identities in schools.
A small group of NHLers have declined to wear Pride warmup jerseys this season, including Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ivan Provorov, Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko, San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer, Eric and Marc Staal of the Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres blueliner Ilya Lyubushkin.
A Russian law restricts “propaganda” about LGBTQ+ people, including in advertising, media and the arts. Other NHL players have cited religious beliefs for declining to wear Pride jerseys.
WATCH | Handful of NHLers object to wearing Pride-themed jerseys:
Canadian NHL players Mark and Eric Staal are the latest to join a handful of others who are refusing to wear Pride-themed warm-up jerseys in support of the LGBTQ community. It’s ignited a debate over inclusivity and personal freedom in pro-hockey.