Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators] prospect defenseman and the first openly gay player signed to an NHL contract, Luke Prokop, [https://thehockeynews.com/news/tempest-thn-ci029783f9400025ef] kicked off the Milwaukee Pride Parade on Sunday as the Grand Marshall. Prokop plays for the Predators American Hockey League afillate, the Milwaukee Admirals. This is his second Pride parade Prokop has been a part of, marching in the Toronto Pride Parade in 2023. Prokop was selected by the Predators 73rd overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. About a year later, he publicly came out as gay [https://www.instagram.com/p/CRgq7vCDgDq/], becoming the first NHL player under contract to do so. In his first professional game of his career with the Milwaukee Admirals, Prokop became the first openly gay player to play in an AHL game. Since coming out, Prokop has been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community not just in the NHL and AHL, but across the hockey world. "There is a whole community out there that will love and accept you no matter what," Prokop said in an interview with WISN 12. [https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-admirals-luke-prokop-shares-journey-as-first-openly-gay-hockey-player-in-nhl-ahl/64981869] "Even though they may not be your blood, they'll still be your family." While the NHL has had a complicated past supporting the LGBTQ+, briefly banning rainbow tape [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks/latest-news/nhl-proves-hockey-isnt-for-everyone] and doing away with Pride jerseys [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets/latest-news/nhl-to-scrap-pride-jerseys-amid-shift-from-themed-sweaters], Prokop said he's received nothing but support. "It was scary going into it, not knowing how the reaction was going to be," Prokop told WISN 12 [https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-admirals-luke-prokop-shares-journey-as-first-openly-gay-hockey-player-in-nhl-ahl/64981869]. "But the response was overwhelmingly positive." This past year was Prokop's first full season in Milwaukee. During the 2023-24 season, he split time between Milwaukee and the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL. In 31 games, he recorded one goal and three assists for four points. He's played in two Predators preseason games. The first was against the Florida Panthers in 2023, where he recorded two shots and 19:12 minutes of ice time. The second was a 3-2 loss to the Panthers in 2023. Prokop had 15:06 of ice time and a shot on goal.
