The Sharks goalie chooses not to wear an LGBTQ-themed warm-up jersey for the team’s Pride Night
the San Jose Sharks They host Pride Night at the SAP Center on Saturday, but the goaltender will not be included in the celebration.
James Reimer announced on Twitter that he will no longer be wearing a Pride jersey before a game against a team New York Islanders.
Reimer cited his religious beliefs.
Click here for more sports coverage on FOXNEWS.COM
James Reimer of the San Jose Sharks takes reps during warm-ups at SAP Center on March 11, 2023, in San Jose, California. (Andrea Cardani/NHLI via Getty Images)
“Throughout the 13 years of my NHL career, I’ve been a Christian — not just in the title, but in how I choose to live my life daily. I have a personal faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins, and in response he asks me to love and follow everyone,” he said via Team Twitter account. “I have no hate in my heart for anyone, and have always endeavored to treat everyone I encounter with respect and kindness.
“In this specific case, I am choosing not to agree to something that goes against my personal convictions that are based on the Bible, which is the highest authority in my life.”
Reimer’s decision seems to go against the theme of the night, but the Sharks he said in a separate statement They “recognize and accept the rights of individuals to express themselves, including how or whether they choose to express their beliefs, regardless of reason or subject matter”.
On Saturday, the sharks tweeted that they would “provide information and facts about LGBTQIA+ themesinstead of “our regular game content” throughout Saturday’s competition.
“We hope this content serves as a reminder that there are more important issues than goals, highlights and wins,” the team said in their tweet.
San Jose Sharks logo on a jersey during a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at the SAP Center in October. 4, 2019, in San Jose, California. (Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
“Hockey is not for everyone until everyone feels comfortable playing, working, or being a fan of this great game.”
Reimer isn’t the first NHL player to eschew Pride jerseys in training. the Philadelphia Flyers Ivan Provorov He cited his Russian Orthodox religion as the reason for not participating in a warmup on his team’s Pride Night when the rest of the team wore LGBTQ-themed jerseys.
the New York Rangers It promoted Pride Night in January, saying players would wear a Pride on Sticks themed ribbon, but that plan was also canceled without explanation. The same thing happened with the Minnesota Wild earlier this month.
Goaltender James Reimer of the San Jose Sharks guards the net during the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Live Center March 6, 2023, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Jonathan Kosopp/NHLI via Getty Images)
Click here for the FOX NEWS app
The Sharks are 19-36-14, and their 52 points are the second lowest in the league. Reimer’s .895 save percentage ranks 42nd out of 50 qualified goaltenders. His goals are 3.26 against an average of 40.
