New drama exposes hockey’s silence on LGBTQ players

Heated Rivalry, the surprise 2025 series from Crave and HBO, centers on a secret relationship between two top hockey prospects and repeatedly returns to the line “no one can know,” using the storyline to probe an enduring culture of silence in the sport. The show highlights a paradox in hockey: efforts to be more inclusive sit alongside practices that make players afraid to speak openly.

The NHL launched Hockey Is For Everyone in 2017 and produced a diversity and inclusion report in 2022; that report has since been removed from the league’s website. In January 2023, defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear a Pride-themed warm-up jersey, saying it conflicted with his religious beliefs.

After more players declined to wear the jerseys, the NHL stopped using them, with commissioner Gary Bettman saying the situation had “just become more of a distraction from really the essence of what the purpose of these nights are.” Interviews conducted in 2019 with gay players found fear of being a “distraction” drove many to stay closeted.

Cheryl MacDonald, former co-chair of the western Canadian board of You Can Play, said players told her: “it doesn’t matter if you’re gay, or concussed, or you’ve been sexually abused or have mental health issues, none of those are OK because you are a distraction.” That same research found that when players did come out, teammates generally reacted positively and any homophobic jibes were muted, with banter often becoming more respectful over time.

Key Topics

Sports, United States, Hockey, Lgbtq, Inclusion, Nhl, Culture