Travis Dermott of the Arizona Coyotes defied an NHL ban on Pride Tape when he used the colored tape on his stick during his team’s home opener at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. A few days later, the league reversed its ban.
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Travis Dermott of the Arizona Coyotes defied an NHL ban on Pride Tape when he used the colored tape on his stick during his team’s home opener at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. A few days later, the league reversed its ban.
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Pride Tape will finally be allowed to be part of NHL events this season, as the league reversed its ban that sparked backlash among many hockey players.
“Players will now have the opportunity to voluntarily represent social causes with their tape throughout the season,” the NHL said Tuesday in announcing a loosening of its restrictions on theme nights, such as Pride Night.
The decision came days after Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott became the first player to defy the ban by using Pride Tape in a game.
The pride band was introduced about seven years ago as a way to show inclusion and support for young LGBTQ+ athletes who might otherwise stop playing ice hockey rather than face homophobia and discrimination.
The brightly colored ribbon was quickly adopted by NHL players, as the rainbow colors have joined the standard white or black stripe hockey players normally use on their sticks. But after adopting slogans like Hockey is for Everyone, the league abruptly ban the cassette during the summer.
A player recently defied the ban
Pressure against the ban reached new heights in recent days, when Dermott wrapped part of his hockey stick with Pride Tape for his team’s home opener, flouting the ban.
Dermott said his action reflected what he had learned about the toxic effects of LGBTQ+ hatred on people he is close to. And although his protest was discreet, the player eloquently explained his reasons.
“I’ve been fortunate to have some of these opportunities come my way to really change my view of what it means to be a good person; what it means to be a good father and a good example and a good role model for the future”, he said.
“You really see how much people are suffering and it’s because of a system that maybe no one is intentionally trying to be malicious, but until you really have that experience at first person to see people suffering right in front of you, it’s hard. to kind of take action.
Dermott spoke about the need to spread love and positivity, and especially show those values to kids who follow professional hockey.
“As my parents said growing up, ‘How cool would it be to be the guy people looked up to?’ That’s what really struck me as a kid, especially from my mom. You want to grow up and be that guy.
The ban sparked controversy, then change
The NHL adopted Pride Tape shortly after its creation, then banned it – and now it’s welcoming back the colorful tape. Here, players warm up before a Pride Night game in 2022.
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The NHL adopted Pride Tape shortly after its creation, then banned it – and now it’s welcoming back the colorful tape. Here, players warm up before a Pride Night game in 2022.
Eakin Howard/Getty Images
The league’s ban on the Pride Tape was intended to avoid controversy, as several NHL players made headlines last season for refusing to wear Pride Night-themed jerseys, citing religious or other reasons.
But the ban sparked a controversy of its own, casting a shadow over professional hockey as it opened the 2023-24 regular season earlier this month. Many players spoke out against it.
The creators of Pride Tape thanked people who supported the Stick Up for Pride Tape campaign — and he pointed out that the day the ban was lifted, Canada Scotiabank was distributing 5,000 free rolls of tape nationwide.
Prominent critics of the ban included Brian Burke, a former NHL executive who advocated for professional hockey to be inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
Burke celebrated the news of the ban’s lifting, thanking everyone who pushed back against the policy and greet Dermott for his “courageous” ally.
The NHL says it reversed its ban after meetings with the NHL Players’ Association and members of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition.
Pride Tape was frequently only seen during warm-ups and at special Pride Night events. The new rule suggests the tape will be used in games throughout the season.
And as former women’s hockey player and executive Anya Packer pointed out, the new policy could have a ripple effect throughout the NHL.
“It’s INCREDIBLY important,” says Packer said the, the old Twitter site. “Now ALL CAUSES can be represented in one way or another.”
