Boston Bruins
“It’s the least that we can do to show our support and show that we’re all on the same team.”
Speaking after the Bruins’ “Hockey Is For Everyone” night at TD Garden, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy wanted to let fans know that hockey is making strides in its efforts to make the game more inclusive and welcoming to all.
During warmups, McAvoy was one of several Bruins skaters who featured rainbow-colored tape wrapped around their sticks.
Ahead of Boston’s matchup against the Golden Knights, the opening ceremony on Causeway Street featured hockey players from LGBTQIA+, sled hockey, deaf, blind, special hockey, and standing amputee/limb difference athletes taking to the TD Garden ice with Boston’s starters.
According to a Bruins team release, Hockey is for Everyone stands as an NHL initiative that “uses the game of hockey and the National Hockey League’s global influence to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.”
For McAvoy, both the NHL and the game of hockey as a whole have made major progress over the years when it comes to making the sport accessible to all.
“I feel like I see it here, most definitely,” McAvoy said after Boston’s 4-3 win over Vegas. “And I think you see it in the game too, with initiatives like this. I’ve heard so much support from people within those communities, that this means a lot to them. So it’s the least that we can do to show our support and show that we’re all on the same team.”
Hockey has also received a major boost in popularity due to the HBO smash hit, “Heated Rivalry” — a series following two closeted professional hockey players that has become a viral sensation and has opened the sport to a variety of new fans.
Even NHL commissioner Gary Bettman noted earlier this month that he binged all six episodes of the series “in one night”.
“There are a lot of things about the game that we think are driving more and more people to the game,” Bettman said. “And I do believe ‘Heated Rivalry’ is one of those things.”
While McAvoy said that he has not watched “Heated Rivalry,” he said that the show — and all other avenues to make hockey more approachable and welcoming to every community — should be embraced.
“I think it’s growing and I think the league’s done great things,” McAvoy said of the degree of acceptance within the hockey community. “I think here within our room, we’ve tried to do things as well to echo that message and to make everybody feel safe and comfortable within the game. It’s very important.
“I haven’t seen [Heated Rivalry], but from what I’ve heard of it — that show has been growing the game a lot and in support of that community. So that stuff’s all awesome. It’s awesome for hockey. It’s awesome, just for everybody. So I’m happy. I’m happy that we won on this night. Hopefully a lot of people feel the support of the Bruins.”
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