Connor McDavid disappointed in NHL's decision to ban Pride Tape
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid isn’t thrilled with the NHL’s decision to ban players from using Pride Tape in warmups and practices.
The decision from the league was uncovered after a report by Outsports revealed an NHL memo regarding Pride events and initiatives last week.
The company in charge of Pride Tape was founded and currently operates in Edmonton and has partnered up with both the NHL and NHLPA before.
630 CHED’s Courtney Theriault posted an interview with the Edmonton captain following Tuesday’s practice, where the topic of Pride Tape came up.
Count Oilers' star Connor McDavid among those disappointed with the NHL's decision to scrap pride tape from pre-game events. #yeg #yyc pic.twitter.com/QmRcMqRzrX
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) October 10, 2023
“I’ve enjoyed all the nights we’ve celebrated here in Edmonton,” said McDavid. “It’s something I’ve always enjoyed.”
“I’ve expressed disappointment in not being able to wear the various jerseys or tapes, whether that be Pride Tape, pink tape, or anything.”
The ban on specialty jerseys in warmups was announced shortly after the Stanley Cup was awarded in June. It came after multiple scandals broke out last season where players refused to participate or wear jerseys that celebrated the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“Is it something I’d like to see put back in place someday? Certainly, but that’s not the way it is right now,” added McDavid.
Multiple players on the Oilers have been vocal supporters of Pride, with Zach Hyman being another who was outspoken in his disappointment in the league’s decision.
Zach Hyman was asked about the NHL's decision to ban Pride Tape pic.twitter.com/GP6TqJJ1RG
— alicia ^^^ š (@leashadawg) October 10, 2023
“Personally, I enjoyed wearing the Pride jersey, the Pride tape,” said Hyman. “We’ll be able to support them individually, but collectively, that’s out of the players’ control, so it’s disappointing.”
Even though there won’t be any special jerseys or Pride Tape on hand, the Oilers still plan on hosting a Pride Night on January 18 when the Seattle Kraken comes to town.
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