The Toronto Maple Leafs will not wear themed warm-up jerseys for the team’s annual Pride night celebration on Tuesday.
The organization has held Pride nights in support of the LGBTQ community since 2017, but has never sported special warm-up shirts.
The Leafs say the rainbow ribbon will be available to players during the pregame skating, and the team has several other events planned throughout the night.
Toronto players and head coach Sheldon Keefe wore rainbow-themed jerseys during a media availability Tuesday morning before taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets.
A small group of NHL players have refused to wear Pride warm-up jerseys this season, including Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov, San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer, Los Angeles Lakers’ Eric and Marc Staal. Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabers blue lineman Ilya Lyubushkin.
CLOCK | A handful of NHLers oppose wearing Pride-themed jerseys:
Canadian NHL players Mark and Eric Staal are the latest to join a handful of others refusing to wear Gay Pride-themed warm-up jerseys in support of the LGBTQ community. It sparked a debate about inclusion and personal freedom in pro-hockey.
Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly has marched in the Toronto Pride parade along with general manager Kyle Dubas and team president Brendan Shanahan in the past.
“I think actions speak louder than words,” Rielly said Tuesday. “And especially talk louder than the outfit.”
The Leafs will have Pride decals on their helmets, but Russian goalie Ilya Samsonov is not expected to wear one on the back of his mask.
Leafs summons Woll from AHL
Maple Leafs goalie Matt Murray is listed day-to-day with a head injury, Keefe said Tuesday.
Murray left Sunday’s loss to the Red Wings after appearing to hit his head on the ice when Detroit forward Lucas Raymond slipped and fell on the back of the goalie’s legs, sending Murray falling backwards. .
Murray, 28, has struggled to stay healthy in his first season since being acquired from the Ottawa Senators.
In 26 games this season, Murray has a 14-8-2 record with a .903 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average.
With Murray out, the Maple Leafs placed an emergency call on goalie Joseph Woll of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
The Maple Leafs also loaned forward Radim Zohorna, who played his first two games with the team over the weekend, back to the Marlies.