The Minnesota Wild celebrated Pride Night for the second time in franchise history Tuesday, but found themselves in hotwater after players didn’t wear LGBTQ+ jerseys that were previously advertised.
Prior to the game against the Calgary Flames, the Wild announced that they had intended to wear Pride-themed warmup jerseys and then would later auction them off. However, the organization decided not to do so just hours before the puck dropped.
As a result, the Wild were slammed with accusations of “homophobia” and other criticisms.
Yet another @NHL team has caved to homophobia and abandoned the wearing of LGBT Pride jerseys for warm-ups.
While the team did execute other initiatives, it’s yet another slap in the face from the NHL and its players. #RainbowsAreScaryhttps://t.co/8GhtfntyFY
— Cyd Zeigler (@CydZeigler) March 8, 2023
“The Minnesota Wild have become concerned that direct physical & rhetorical pressure is being exerted by fascists to greenlight genocide against the LGBTQIA+ community & have decided to back down in the most cowardly way possible.” https://t.co/1oPJTIIrya
— Space Manley (@manlyjackmanley) March 8, 2023
So apparently, hockey is NOT for everyone.
— Keith Richter (@keith_richter) March 8, 2023
new york rangers, minnesota wild, ivan pr*vor*v… you will NOT see the gates of heaven
— cayce 🌵🤠 (@cayceonthego) March 8, 2023
the minnesota wild announcing the retraction of pride jerseys right before the game starts is so cowardly
— MC54 🧪 (@oilygifs) March 8, 2023
The Minnesota Wild’s move appears to be another chain reaction from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov, who was the original NHL player who refused to wear LGBTQ+ jerseys and decided to sit out warmups when the team was wearing them back in January.
Provorov‘s decision then led to the New York Rangers opting against Pride uniforms, and just over a week later, the New York Islanders did the same thing because of an “organizational stance.” (RELATED: NHL Reporter Mike Harrington Intimidated A Little Girl And Needs To Be Publicly Shamed For It)
Both of the New York franchises are now joined by the Minnesota Wild.