"I came home from Calgary after my season ended because of COVID. I was lying in bed one night, just deleted a dating app for the fourth or fifth time, and I was just extremely frustrated because I couldn't be my true authentic self. And in that moment I said, 'Enough's enough. I'm accepting who I am. I wanna live the way I want to. And I'm going to accept myself as a gay man'."
What's it gonna mean to you next season to skate in a game knowing that your truth is out there?
"It's hard to put into words. I'm gonna lace my skates up the same. I'm gonna put my jersey on the same. Strap up my helmet. Pull on my gloves... But I'm finally gonna be able to breathe, and exhale, and show the world the real me. And I'm so excited to see where that will take me - not only as a hockey player, but as a person as well."
-Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop announces he is gay, NHL on ESPN, 19 July 2021
6x nhl all-star, 2x rocket richard winner, 1x art ross, ted lindsay, king clancy memorial, nhl foundation player, and mark messier leadership award winner
1x stanley cup finalist, 2x olympic gold medalist, 2x world junior champion
first black captain in nhl history and first black player on the cover of nhl
calgary flames all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, second all-time leader in assists