Maple Leafs’ Samsonov does not wear Pride decal during warmup
Posted April 4, 2023 8:27 pm.
Last Updated April 4, 2023 8:29 pm.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov did not wear a Pride decal on his mask during warmup prior to Tuesday’s game against the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.
Samsonov is a native of Magnitogorsk, Russia.
The Leafs sported the decals but did not wear Pride night-themed jerseys.
Maple Leafs wearing Pride decals on their helmets during warmup. Ilya Samsonov chose not to wear one. He was not made available pre-game to discuss his decision.
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) April 4, 2023
The organization has held Pride nights in support of the LGBTQ+ community since 2017 but has never had special warmup jerseys.
Toronto players and head coach Sheldon Keefe donned rainbow-themed T-shirts during a Tuesday morning media availability
An anti-gay Kremlin law in Russia has been cited as a possible reason for Russian players to consider not wearing anything supporting Pride nights.
Russian players who did not wear Pride night jerseys earlier this season include Ilya Lyubushkin of the Buffalo Sabres, Andrei Kuzmenko of the Vancouver Canucks and Ivan Provorov of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Non-Russian NHLers also have declined to wear Pride jerseys, including brothers Eric and Marc Staal of the Florida Panthers and James Reimer of the San Jose Sharks, citing religious beliefs.
Several teams, like the Maple Leafs, also have not had any of their players wear Pride jerseys.
