NHL scored big when it came to supporting their gay fans during All-Star Weekend
Toronto Gay Hockey Association fielded both teams, with Team White defeating Team Blue 6-2. Both coaches, former NHL exec Brian Burke and ex-defenseman Andrew Ference, are two of the most vocal LGBTQ+ allies in league history.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.Burke, who founded You Can Play, a group dedicated to eliminating homophobia in sports, is currently executive director of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association.
An outspoken opponent of the NHL’s new anti-Pride policies, Burke credited commissioner Gary Bettman with holding Saturday’s rainbow-studded event.
For those wondering, Pride tape was allowed…“Gary Bettman’s been a great ally. I think people are focused on the fact that they got rid of Pride sweaters,” Burke told reporters. “They still do Pride Nights, just not the Pride sweaters.
