Dan Bylsma fires backs at fans who critcize Kraken's Pride night and LGBTQ+ jerseys

The NHL's policy on special interest group jerseys like LGBTQ+ Pride, Military Appreciation, Armed Forces, etc. has been met with detractors on both sides in recent years.

You may recall that in the backlash of players refusing to wear Pride jerseys that the league effectively banned its teams from donning special interest jerseys back in 2023.

That doesn't mean that teams can't create special Pride jerseys and promote a Pride night, but it means that the players cannot wear those jerseys during gameplay or during warmups. The league went so far as to ban rainbow colored tape, as well. 

Still, teams around the league have continued to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community with some incredibly creative and colorful uniforms. Today, the Seattle Kraken unveiled their Pride Night jersey with head coach Dan Bylsma and players Jared McCann and Adam Larsson donning the duds for a promotional shoot.

Check it out:

If you dare, venture into the comments on that post for some truly vitriolic replies.

Some people just can't stand to see other groups lifted up and supported, even if it has no direct impact on them. To those fans, Bylsma says shame on you! This sport is for everyone!

"I think just the message of the NHL and making the game available to anybody and everybody. And that's not from just a playing standpoint, that's from an enjoyment standpoint as well, and it's just a symbol of being inclusive, because I think that's what our game is all about. This is a great game of hockey for each and every one of us, male, female... everybody. And it's a great game to watch. It's a great game to play, and the more we can be inclusive of everybody, is what we want to do."

- Dan Bylsma

Seriously... how can you argue with that?

The Kraken's Pride Night jerseys may not be your cup of tea, but maybe that's not the intention? Frankly, they're a bit busy for my taste. But they weren't designed with me in mind. They're designed to act as a symbol for members of a certain community and as a beacon to announce that they're welcomed and their accepted in the hockey world.

Again... how can you argue with that?