Luke Prokop was a defenseman for the AHL's Bakersfield Condors this season and is also known as the first openly gay player under an NHL contract.

As a trailblazer in his community, Prokop's experience in working toward becoming an NHL player while being a leader off the ice is something very few athletes in the world experience, let alone hockey players.

Now, Upper Canada Films has a documentary coming out soon called The Hockey Player, which follows Prokop's personal journey while playing pro hockey.

Prokop shared his experience with TheHockeyNews.com since coming out back in July 2021.

"When I was deciding to come out, it was something that was talked about, but I don't think nearly to the extent of what I've experienced," Prokop said. "There's been a lot more people reaching out than I thought there would be. I kind of had to learn on the fly how to make sure I was present for those people."

About a year after officially coming out, Prokop felt so much pressure to be a leader in his community and to help and listen to as many people as he could.

"Now, I kind of switched that mentality and view it more as a responsibility," Prokop said. "I chose to come out. I chose to kind of blaze this trail in hockey.

"I did view it… as a lot of pressure. I was only 19 years old when I came out, and trying to navigate hockey as well, too, and figuring out, professionally, what was going to happen with my career… There were a lot of long nights.

"I've done a better job at prioritizing my time and making sure that I'm still leaving some space for myself, but I also know that I have a responsibility to a lot of people out there, to be visible to them."

It's been nearly five years since Prokop's Instagram post, when he announced he is gay.

Since then, no one under an NHL contract has joined Prokop and done the same.

"At the professional level, I don't honestly know anybody else that is either ready to come out; I haven't spoken to any other professional players out there," he said. "Obviously, there are, but it's kind of up to them whether they want to do it or not."

The 24-year-old said he is surprised that no one else has come out, especially because he has experienced and shared the positivity that was attached to him coming out.

"I kind of get it, I kind of don't," Prokop said. "There's a lot of responsibility and a lot of added attention and pressure when you come out."

Prokop said he didn't have a locked-in contract or an established career at the time, so it was a big risk when he came out. However, the positive support he received outweighed any sort of risk.

He said his social media announcement didn't really have any negative comments written and that he's also received support from other teams, GMs and players.

"I kind of understand why guys might be hesitant to come out, but also at the same time, I think hockey is ready for it," he said.

Prokop, a third-round pick by the Nashville Predators in 2020, has played for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen, Edmonton Oil Kings and Seattle Thunderbirds, the ECHL's Norfolk Admirals and Atlanta Gladiators and the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals and Bakersfield Condors since being drafted.

"It's always a little awkward, I guess, going onto different teams," Prokop said. "I kind of have to gauge who's really OK with it, who's completely fine with it. I can talk certain stuff to them, and then there's other guys where it might take a little while. But I find that completely normal, not everyone has a gay teammate, not everyone knows what it's like.

"But I can say, I've been on seven different teams in the last six years, and every team I've been on, all of my teammates have been fantastic."

For the most part, Prokop has had the experience he hoped for as a gay professional hockey player.

"A lot of guys maybe have a stereotypical version of what a gay man is like, and I think I'm not the stereotypical gay guy," he said. "Once they learn I'm the same hockey guy that they are, I use the same stupid lingo that we all use, that they just view me as one of the guys, which is exactly how I want it to be."

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