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Luke Prokop becomes first openly gay player to play in AHL
The Milwaukee Admirals defenseman made history on Friday night.
Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Luke Prokop became the first openly gay player to play in the American Hockey League during Friday’s game against the Rockford IceHogs.
Prokop has been a member of the Nashville Predators organization since being selected 73rd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 21-year-old was called up by the Admirals on Wednesday, starting the 2023-24 season with the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, where he had recorded two goals and five points in nine games.
Prokop became the first openly gay player under NHL contract when he came out in July 2021. His promotion to the AHL’s Admirals is one step closer to the NHL having its first openly gay player in league history. Prokop is a six-foot-six right-handed defenseman and there’s a reasonable chance he could eventually graduate to the NHL.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Joe Smith, Prokop revealed that he received a congratulatory text from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews and global pop superstar Elton John upon coming out.
Prokop said he didn’t expect widespread support from fellow players and teammates upon coming out but noted that the current generation of professional players aren’t fazed by having a gay or queer teammate.
“I just don’t think guys really care anymore,” Prokop said to Smith. “They might be nervous as they have this stereotype version of what a gay guy might look like, sound like, act like. Like me, coming to a team, they think I’ll act a certain way, look a certain way, but they’ll realize three minutes into talking to me that I’m not that.
“Hockey is part of me. It’s who I am. Guys totally forget (about me being gay) when I’m at the rink. They’re not afraid to ask questions. But other than that, it never really comes up. That’s how I wanted it to be. I wanted them to know, but we can all go out and play. I never wanted to be a distraction.”
Prokop has been a vocal advocate of LGBTQ+ communities and spoke about what he wanted his off-ice legacy to be.
“One of my main goals when I came out is that if I could have an impact on one person outside of my family and friends in my lifetime, I’ve done my job,” Prokop said. “I think I’ve done that and more. And I want to continue to do that.”
