The Calgary Flames join You Can Play in working for equality for all in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans. The Flames are holding a You Can Play fundraiser in conjunction with their game against the Arizona Coyotes on January 13, 2019.
Hear from You Can Play Vice Chair David Palumbo as he supported the Columbus Blue Jackets' Hockey Is For Everyone game on February 10, 2018.
As part of the National Hockey League's Hockey Is For Everyone month, the Columbus Blue Jackets celebrated diversity and inclusion in the sport by presenting Hockey Is For Everyone Night when the Jackets hosted the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.
Also that night, the first 10,000 fans in attendance received a CBJ baseball cap courtesy of FOX Sports Ohio.
During pregame warmups, Blue Jackets Hockey Is For Everyone ambassador Seth Jones and teammates will use rainbow colored Pride Tape on sticks and practice with Pride-themed pucks. The club auctioned signed sticks by a select group of players with proceeds benefiting You Can Play's efforts to ensure safety and inclusion of all in sports — including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.
Pregame activities also included 30 members of the Columbus Gay Men's Chorus accompanying Blue Jackets anthem singer Leo Welsh to perform the "The Star-Spangled Banner." The Blue Jackets highlighted diversity among hockey participants with an on-ice, pregame introduction of individuals representing a wide spectrum of leagues and programs including: Ohio Sled Hockey, Special Hockey (players with developmental disabilities), Columbus Ohio Gay Lesbian Ally Hockey Association, Columbus Ice Hockey Club (Columbus Recreation & Parks program), girls' hockey, adult hockey, high school hockey and youth hockey. Intermissions featured Sled Hockey and Special Hockey scrimmages, including a check presentation from The Basement Doctor to the local Special Hockey team.
The Vegas Golden Knights join You Can Play in working for equality for all in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.
Hockey Is For Everyone Month is a league-wide initiative to foster a safe and inclusive environment in the game of hockey regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare will serve as the Golden Knights player ambassador throughout the month.
On February 15, 2018, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, or "The Center," will attend the Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers game at 7 p.m. PT, and a special PSA from Bellemare will be played in-arena. Pride T-shirts will be available for sale, and proceeds from the Vegas Golden Knights 51/49 raffle that night will benefit The Center.
The Calgary Flames join You Can Play in working for equality for all in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.
The Montreal Canadiens join You Can Play in working for equality for all in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.
As part of the National Hockey League's 2018 Hockey Is For Everyone month, the Montreal Canadiens will celebrate hockey and its values under the themes of respect, inclusion and diversity.
With this initiative, the NHL seeks to create positive social change and promote inclusion of hockey players regardless of race, ethnic or national origin, color, religion, sex, intellectual or physical disability, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
On Wednesday, February 28, 2018, the Canadiens will present the You Can Play Game to emphasize the importance of respect and inclusion of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) community in sports. Canadiens players will demonstrate their support for the initiative by wearing rainbow-colored number jerseys and using rainbow-colored Pride tape on their sticks during the pre-game warm-up period. These jerseys and sticks will then be auctioned off to raise funds for You Can Play programs and GRIS-Montréal.
Jacob Trouba is the Hockey Is For Everyone ambassador with the Winnipeg Jets. The NHL and the Jets join You Can Play in working for equality for all in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.
The Jets are hosting a You Can Play Night on February 13, 2018. The You Can Play game will help to promote the HIFE campaign and its message to use the game of hockey to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities. The players will support You Can Play by using sticks with Pride Tape during warm-up. All the warm-up sticks will then be auctioned online with proceeds going to You Can Play.
The New Jersey Devils are hosting a Pride Night Game on Feb. 1, 2018. Ahead of that night's game, the team and players made this video showing their support for the LGBTQ community. In the Devils' second annual Pride Night, the team takes on the Philadelphia Flyers.
For warmups, the Devils will also be wrapping their sticks with Pride Tape, and following the game, each stick will be auctioned off along with N.J. Devils Pride Tape-wrapped drum. All proceeds from the auction will benefit You Can Play. For more information on how to participate in the postgame auction, visit NewJerseyDevils.com/NJPride.
Max DeFrancesco, a member of the LGBTQ community, will sing the anthem and the color guard will comprise of representatives from Newark Pride.
The Devils players spread the You Can Play organization's message that no matter who you are, "If you can play, you can play."
Devils captain Andy Greene once again serves as the team's Hockey is for Everyone ambassador.
On Friday, Feb. 2, there will be a Hockey is For Everyone Clinic presented by RWJBarnabas Health held on Prudential Center's main ice. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the clinic will begin at 5:30 p.m. The clinic will feature Devils alumni, a special guest appearance from former NHL player and trailblazer and current NHL Diversity Ambassador Willie O'Ree, amongst other guest speakers. Clinic participants will be on ice from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
All Devils theme nights throughout the month of February will celebrate Hockey is For Everyone. Theme nights include Diversity Hockey, NHL/NHLPA/NJ Devils Learn to Play Program, Girls Hockey, Sled Hockey and Special Needs Hockey.
Year-round, the NHL supports Hockey is for Everyone non-profit youth and minor hockey organizations across North America that are committed to offering underprivileged and disadvantaged children of all backgrounds opportunities to play hockey, leveraging the sport to build character, foster positive values and develop important life skills.
The Los Angeles Kings – Stanley Cup Champions in 2012 and 2014 – have teamed up with You Can Play in support of inclusion for LGBT athletes, coaches and fans. The Kings are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.
In their video the Kings pledge to support “all our teammates, coaches, and fans. We believe that athletes should be judged by their character, work ethic, and talent: not their sexual orientation or gender identity. When we respect each other, we’re a better team.”
The Calgary Flames created a video for the You Can Play Project. In the video the Flames pledge to make the locker room a safe place for everyone. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from: On this team we are a family.”
Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Flames are a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. Their colors are red, gold, black, and white. The Flames have won two President’s Trophies and one Stanley Cup.
The Calgary Flames of the NHL created a video in support of the You Can Play Project. Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Flames are a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. Their colors are red, gold, black, and white. The Flames have won two President’s Trophies and one Stanley Cup.
In their video the Flames support equality in sports by saying “We believe that athletes should be judged by their character, work ethic, and talent. Not their sexual orientation, or gender identity.” “We are absolutely commited to creating a culture of respect. We pledge to support LGBTQ athletes and our LGBTQ fans.”
