The NHL reversed course on Tuesday, announcing that players will again have the option to use Pride Tape and other stick tape throughout the season “in support of social causes” after Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott became the first player to openly defy the ban over the weekend.
The league issued a brief statement announcing the policy change:
Florida Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon warms up while donning a Pride Night hockey jersey and Pride Tape on his stick before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on March 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)
“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 use of Pride Tape and specialty jerseys became a fierce topic of debate last season when several players voiced their opposition to partaking in Pride Night celebrations.
Commissioner Gary Bettman said in an interview with Sportsnet following a Board of Governors meeting in New York in June that themed jerseys would no longer be worn on the ice as they had become “a distraction from really the essence of what the purpose of these nights are.”
Then, prior to the start of the regular season, the NHL issued a memo to all clubs, announcing that in addition to no longer allowing the wearing of specialty jerseys, the league was also banning the use of rainbow-colored stick tape during warm-ups or games.
The Florida Panthers celebrate Pride Night prior to hosting the Nashville Predators at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, on Feb. 1, 2019. (Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
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The league faced backlash over the policy online when Dermott, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Coyotes in the offseason, was spotted using the tape during a game on Saturday night.
“We are so very grateful to everyone who believes hockey should be a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for all,” the makers of Pride Tape said in a statement. “We are extremely happy that NHL players will now have the option to voluntarily represent important social causes with their stick tape throughout the season.”
Travis Dermott of the Arizona Coyotes skates with Pride Tape on his stick in the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday. (Zac BonDurant/Getty Images)
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The Coyotes are set to host Pride Night on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
