Hockey players gay
Welcome to winter, now famous as the start of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season. This is my first year doing one of these lists for hockey, but it’s not because I’ve been ignoring the sport. It’s only the second season in the league’s history, and the first where it really feels like they’re planned out and ready to move in advance.
If you’re anything like me, you desire women’s sports not just because of how astonishing the athletes are, but because of all the queer drama and relationships that happen off the court. This list is for us! There are 159 players currently on a PWHL roster, divided between six teams. Below is a list of all of the out gay players, and what team they’re on. For my purposes “out” is defined by being widespread about a relationship/sexuality on social media, or talking about it in an interview.
As always, if you are an athlete and want to be added or removed from this list, email me at writethroughthenight @ gmail . com and I will immediately update.
Last updated: 12/3/24
Boston Fleet
I will be cheering for the Boston Fleet this year; despite moving to Chicago, my a
As a queer miss dating a Canadian, it was inevitable that I’d look after about the first season of the PWHL (professional women’s hockey league). After all, women’s sports are as queer as hockey is Canadian.
While my girlfriend’s local team Toronto didn’t make it to the finals, we did adore watching their five game series against Minnesota. And while Minnesota plays Boston in the finals, I felt appreciate it was a good time to highlight the homosexual players in the league. We’ve done this for the WNBA and now we’re doing it for the PWHL!
Because this is the first year of the PWHL, there’s not a ton of personal facts on the internet about most of the players. So instead I had to scroll through Instagram and participate the ultimate game of siblings or dating or besties.
I tried to only include people who were obviously out, but that definitely prioritizes people in relationships. So if you’re a homosexual and single professional hockey player who doesn’t have engagement photos on your IG but wants in on this list DM me! Or if you posted pictures of yourself platonically kissing another woman and I misread, enable me know that too.
Without further ado, here are the queer players of the PWHL! Including
Just over three years ago, I wrote a piece for The Hockey Writers that argued an inclusive NHL was waiting with open arms to welcome its first openly gay player. So, in that time has one managed to crack an NHL lineup and has the NHL become more welcoming to queer players living out in the open?
Related: An Inclusive NHL Awaits its First Openly Gay Player
The answer to the first scrutinize is none and to the second it’s no. In evidence, in the years since I wrote that article, it looks like the NHL has jog for cover when confronted by the major social issues of the day. It’s as if the league decided that it can only lose by taking clear stands in today’s raging culture wars. Pleasing one side risks angering the other.
Luke Prokop – First Openly Gay Player Under NHL Contract
While an openly gay player has yet to earn a regular spot in an NHL lineup, Luke Prokop is the first to reach out while under contract to an NHL team. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-shot defenceman signed an entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators in December 2020 and now skates with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Upon coming out in July 2021, Prokop said
Milwaukee Admirals’ Luke Prokop sees progress in his game, in acceptance of a gay hockey player
It hasn’t come as quickly as he would like, but Luke Prokop is seeing progress.
Progress in his game.
Progress in his sport.
Progress in society.
The first active openly gay player under contract to an NHL team, Prokop has spent this season with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, a step up from the third-level ECHL, where he spent most of 2023-24. He is still very much a part-time player but already has been in twice as many Admirals games as all of last year. And on Saturday night, Prokop scored his first AHL goal.
Milwaukee Admirals host Pride Night
Prokop also is looking forward to Wednesday, when the Admirals host their annual Pride Night for a game against the Texas Stars.
“I’ve been blessed to play in two of them for my home teams as a junior, and I got to play in one this year on the road,” Prokop said. “Seeing the way my teammates kind of react to it, you know that they realize that it has a big impact on fans.
“Some of them have even told me that it’s the game with the most essence – not a championship game, but kind of outside of hockey, has the most interpretation. So it’s