Bettman confuses several NHL teams with Pride Night changes.

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Ryan Hall
October 8, 2023 (1:54 PM)

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It was only a matter of time before the NHL responded fully to the controversy surrounding Pride Night, which had a significant impact on the league and its fan base during last year's season.

Many fans are aware that this all started when former Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear a Pride jersey during the warm-up before a game.

Provorov cited that this would go against his religious beliefs, and soon afterward, it caused a ripple effect across the entire league, with numerous players expressing similar ideas. This subject sparked many discussions on podcasts and within the fan base.

With the summer now behind us and the season about to begin, the NHL and Commissioner Gary Bettman have introduced new language regarding Pride Night and some new initiatives that have left some NHL teams confused.

The NHL sent out a memo to clarify some of the confusion among NHL teams, as explained by a source to ESPN.

One of the confusing portions of the statement reads as follows:

"Players shall not be put in the position of having to demonstrate (or where they may be appearing to demonstrate) personal support for any Special Initiatives. A factor that may be considered in this regard includes, for example, whether a player (or players) is required to be in close proximity to any groups or individuals visibly or otherwise associated with such Special Initiatives."

It was expressed by eight different organizations that clarification was needed, and the NHL did send out an additional memo in response. It appears that the NHL is attempting to avoid another season of controversy and continue to promote the initiative of hockey for everyone.

However, I believe this will continue to complicate matters for the NHL as the situation unfolds, and this subject is unlikely to go away anytime soon.