In the interview, the 24-year-old explained why it was important for him to embrace his team's annual Pride Night despite multiple National Hockey League (NHL) players refusing to do so. "The team I play for, the [New Jersey] Devils, we really support that, and we're a really welcoming organisation, so I think a bunch of guys on our team were really looking forward to that."
In the summer of 2023, the NHL announced its players would no longer wear special warmup jerseys on theme nights celebrating groups such as the military and the LGBTQ+ community. At the start of the 2023-24 season, the league clarified that Pride Tape, first used by the Edmonton Oilers in 2016 and later sold by the NHL's official shop, was also banned.
Robbie G.K. (Robbie Graham-Kuntz), from the wildly popular hockey romance series Heated Rivalry, was in the house, seated in the lower bowl with his friends. Robbie plays the character Kip Grady, a history-loving smoothie shop barista, in the show. "Hey, what's up Canucks fans? It's Robbie GK here. You might recognize me from Kip from the show, 'Heated Rivalry.' I am clearly here at the Canucks game for Pride Night. Very happy to be here and support this great event and go, Canucks! Go!"
