NHL team won’t wear Pride jerseys, citing new Russian law

By JAY COHEN and STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writers

A National Hockey League team with a Russian player has decided against wearing special warmup jerseys to commemorate Pride Night, citing an anti-gay Kremlin law that could imperil Russian athletes when they return home. The Chicago Blackhawks will not wear Pride-themed warmup jerseys before Sunday’s game against Vancouver. That’s according to a person with knowledge of the matter who spoke to The Associated Press. The decision was made by the Blackhawks following discussions with security officials within and outside the franchise, a person familiar with the situation told the AP on Wednesday. Two Canadian players on the Florida Panthers decided not to wear Pride-themed jerseys on Thursday night, while Russian star Sergei Bobrovsky took part in warmups in one.