Video: Seattle LGBTQ+ Players Share Victory In NHL's "Pride Tape" Reversal

Joey Gale of Seattle Pride Hockey Guests In Our Kraken Reaction Video

Photo above: 16-year NHL veteran Andrew Ference, now the league's Director of Social Impact, Growth and Fan Development, prepares to play in last summer's Seattle Pride Hockey tournament at Kraken Community Iceplex.

The collective influence of players, sponsors, and advocacy groups scored a victory this week - the reversal of the NHL's prohibition on the use of "Pride Tape."

"After consultation with the NHL Players' Association and the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, players will now have the option to voluntarily represent social causes with their stick tape throughout the season," the league said in a statement.

The NHL has said such directives were not aimed at any one group or cause, but it's been widely seen as a blow to the LGBTQ+ community. A prohibition on "specialty" jerseys - such as rainbow-colored Pride warmups - remains in place for now.

We discuss these issues and others at the intersection of the LGBTQ+ community and hockey in our Kraken Reaction video conversation. The guest is Joey Gale, co-founder of Seattle Pride Hockey Association.

Editor's Note: The photos for many of our stories, including this one, come from Caroline Anne and their talented team at ComeAsYouAreHockey.com.