NHL Issues Updated Theme Night Guidance, Which Includes a Ban on Players Using Pride Tape on the Ice

NHL Issues Updated Theme Night Guidance, Which Includes a Ban on Players Using Pride Tape on the Ice
Florida Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon (34) warms up while celebrating Pride Night with a colorful hockey stick before playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Sunrise, Fla., on March 23, 2023. Michael Laughlin/AP Photo
The Associated Press
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The NHL sent a memo to teams last week clarifying what players can and cannot do as part of theme celebrations this season, including a ban on the use of rainbow-colored stick tape for the Pride nights that have become a hot-button issue in hockey.

The updated guidance reaffirms on-ice player uniforms and gear for games, warmups, and official team practices cannot be altered to reflect theme nights, including Pride, Hockey Fights Cancer, or military appreciation celebrations. Players can voluntarily participate in themed celebrations off the ice.