Sabres & Other NHL Teams Can Now Use This Banned Equipment

The NHL has reversed a controversial rule that upset many of their players, including some outspoken members of the Buffalo Sabres. 

After some players opted not to participate in pregame warmups on Pride Night or wear the team-issued pride themed jerseys (including Sabres’ defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin), the NHL banned teams from wearing special jerseys that associate with theme nights, citing it as a distraction. 

Last year, Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo spoke out opposing the ban, telling Spectrum News 1,

“...what upset me the most is, OK, we do a lot of special things in this league. We have a platform because we're a professional organization in professional sports. And how do you use that platform to further the social agenda [or] the economic agenda? Whatever it is. In this case, [it’s] acceptance, diversity and inclusion. How do you move the needle forward?”

Earlier this month, they expanded the ban to include rainbow colored stick tape, which was used by many players to show their support for the pride movement.

NHL Reverses Controversial Ban On Rainbow Stick Tape

Tuesday, the NHL rescinded their original memo, and issued a statement allowing players to use their stick tape to represent social causes, including support for the LGBTQ+ community.

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The reversal comes three days after Travis Dermott of the Arizona Coyotes took a stand against the ban and donned stick rainbow tape during a game against the Anaheim Ducks. 

This season, the Sabres will host Pride Night at KeyBank Center on March 14th.