NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league doesn’t have any information to suggest its Russian players are at material risk, either in Russia or elsewhere, if they choose to participate in teams’ Pride night activities, Daly told The Athletic on Friday. This news comes after multiple teams have cited safety concerns for players of Russian heritage as justification for not having them wear Pride jerseys.
“We take all risks seriously, and this one is no different,” Daly wrote in an email to The Athletic. “Having said that, we have no information that would suggest there is any material threat that would exist (in Russia or otherwise) related to a Russian player participating in a club’s Pride activities.”
The Chicago Blackhawks became the latest team this season to decide to not have their players wear Pride jerseys during warmups for their upcoming Pride night. According to team sources, the decision was made by team management and security officials due to fear for the safety of their Russian heritage players.
After publication, the Blackhawks sent The Athletic a statement saying that while they agreed with the league’s assessment regarding the material risk to Russian players, they still believe a response was warranted.