Panthers' Eric and Marc Staal latest NHLers to refuse to wear Pride jerseys

Add brothers Eric and Marc Staal to the growing list of NHL players who decided not to participate in their team’s Pride Night festivities. In their case, they skipped the Florida Panthers’ pre-game warmups before Thursday’s matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Staal brothers cited religious beliefs as the reason for not participating. Their joint statement reads as follows:

The Staal brothers’ statement echoed that of James Reimer, who recently skipped the San Jose Sharks’ Pride Night. In some cases — such as those of the Blackhawks, Wild, Islanders and Rangers — entire teams decided not to wear Pride warmup jerseys.

Quite a few reporters point out there is some hesitation due to Russia’s anti-LGBQT “propaganda” law, which was passed in December. Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov began this trend back in mid-January.

Clearly, it’s not just Russian players who’ve elected not to wear Pride jerseys, though. It’s also been noted that Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky donned a Pride warmup sweater before the Panthers' game on Thursday, so these decisions don’t appear to be all-or-nothing.

Eric Staal spoke after the game, denying he had ever worn a Pride jersey during his career despite photographic evidence to the contrary.

Following Reimer’s decision last weekend, openly gay Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop shared his disappointment regarding players opting against wearing Pride uniforms, calling it "a step back for inclusion in the NHL."