During this season, a few players in the NHL have participated in a silent protest against the league's LGBTQ+ celebrations. Ivan Provorov, James Reimer, Marc Staal, Eric Staal, and Ilya Lyubushkin are among the players who have decided not to wear the warmup jerseys promoting inclusiveness and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Night in the NHL. While players have the right to choose whether or not to support the cause, these protests have significantly affected the league's ability to convey its message about inclusivity. Opting out of the event shifts the narrative from promoting inclusivity and supporting sexual orientation and gender identity to one of hate and bigotry, particularly towards the trans community. This is disheartening, and the NHL is now reportedly considering cancelling the celebrations entirely. Gary Bettman spoke to CTV news on Monday night while he was in Ottawa, attending the Sens game. <q> This is the first time we've experienced that, and I think it's something that we're going to have to evaluate in the offseason. This is one issue where players for a variety of reasons may not feel comfortable wearing the uniform as a form of endorsement. « </q> <q> But I think that's become more of a distraction now, because the substance of what our teams and we have been doing and stand for is really being pushed to the side for what is a handful of players basically have made personal decisions, and you have to respect that as well. </q> The distraction caused by these silent protests is significant enough to make us question the value of the NHL's efforts to promote its larger narrative. If Pride Night only amplifies negative and harmful attitudes from players and fans, then is it truly worth it? This is an important question that must be raised. Credit: HOCKEYFEED