Hockey's First Openly Gay Draftee

0:00On April 28th, Luke Procott made history in 2021 as the first NHL draftee to come out as gay before playing in the big leagues. At 23, he signed but hasn't hit the ice yet in the top league. No active Major League baseball player has done it either, while guys like Jason Collins in the NBA and Carl Nasiv in the NFL broke ground as active. Players Hockey's team first vibe makes it tough players hate standing out or causing distractions. Retired goalie Brock McGillis says, bubble players won't risk their spots, and old school homophobic talk lingers from back in the day. Brian Burke, a league vet whose son came out years ago, admits he used that language himself in the 70s. But the NHL's locker rooms have cleaned up big time, with way less slurs thanks to groups like you can play. Players like Scott Lafton noticed the shift in how folks talk, heading the right way. Procott got nothing but love from his junior teens when he came out in 19. Folks like Burke and Commissioner Gary Bettman say the leagues all in on inclusion, from

1:02pride events to youth programs. They'd welcome an openly gay player, even if social media trolls and some old heads push back at first. Hockey's rider-dye teammate loyalty could make it one of the best spots for this to happen. Next change is coming, just lower than you think in a. Sport over a century old. That's the story for today. Entertainment and celebrity news today, driven by AI. I'm Corey with the story.