What Couture, Quinn think of Reimer’s Pride jersey decision originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Sharks Pride Night isn’t about Pride anymore.
At least in terms of narrative, after James Reimer announced Saturday that he will not be wearing a Pride warmup jersey for Sharks Pride Night at SAP Center.
The Sharks announced their Pride Night initiatives earlier this week, but there was some question whether every Shark would participate.
In past seasons, around the NHL and with the Sharks, there had been Pride Nights and Pride jerseys worn with no significant opposition. But that got turned on its head in January, when Philadelphia Flyers’ Ivan Provorov declined to wear a Pride jersey, citing his Russian Orthodox religious beliefs. Then, the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild reneged on commitments to wear Pride jerseys before their Pride Nights.
Reimer, following Provorov, is the second NHL player to openly decline wearing a Pride jersey. He is the only Sharks player who will not wear the Pride jersey in warmups tonight and will be active as Kaapo Kahkonen’s backup.
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The Sharks and Reimer released statements this morning, then captain Logan Couture, coach David Quinn, and Reimer took questions from the media.