NHL brothers decline to wear Pride night jerseys, cite Christian beliefs

SUNRISE, Fla. — Brothers Eric and Marc Staal of the Florida Panthers declined to wear special Pride-themed warmup jerseys ahead of the team’s 6–2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

The jerseys were part of Florida’s Pride night game in support of the area’s LGBTQ community, and the brothers cited their religion as the reason for their decision.

“We carry no judgement on how people choose to live their lives, and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey,” the Staal brothers said in a stateme …