Sharks goalie opts not to wear LGBTQ-themed warmup jersey on team's Pride Night

The San Jose Sharks are hosting Pride Night astatine SAP Center Saturday, but their goalie will not beryllium included successful nan celebration.

James Reimer announced connected Twitter he will not deterioration a pride-themed warmup jersey earlier nan crippled against nan New York Islanders.

Reimer cited his belief beliefs.

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James Reimer of nan San Jose Sharks takes reps during warmups astatine SAP Center March 11, 2023, successful San Jose, Calif.  (Andreea Cardani/NHLI via Getty Images)

"For each 13 years of my NHL career, I person been a Christian — not conscionable successful title, but successful really I take to unrecorded my life daily. I person a individual religion successful Jesus Christ who died connected nan transverse for my sins and, successful response, asks maine to emotion everyone and travel him," he said via nan team's Twitter account. "I person nary dislike successful my bosom for anyone, and I person ever strived to dainty everyone that I brushwood pinch respect and kindness.

"In this circumstantial instance, I americium choosing not to endorse thing that is antagonistic to my individual convictions which are based connected nan Bible, nan highest authority successful my life."

Reimer's determination seemingly goes against nan night's theme, but nan Sharks said successful a abstracted statement they "acknowledge and judge nan authorities of individuals to definitive themselves, including really aliases whether they take to definitive their beliefs, sloppy of nan origin aliases topic."

 The Sharks tweeted connected Saturday they will "offer accusation and facts astir LGBTQIA+ topics" alternatively of "our normal crippled content" passim Saturday's contest.

"Our dream is that this contented will service arsenic a reminder that location are issues much important than goals, highlights, and wins," nan squad said successful its tweet.

The San Jose Sharks' logo connected a jersey during a crippled against nan Vegas Golden Knights astatine SAP Center Oct. 4, 2019, successful San Jose, Calif. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

SHARKS' TWITTER ACCOUNT TO SEND 'LGBTQIA+ INFORMATION' INSTEAD OF 'NORMAL GAME CONTENT' ON TEAM'S PRIDE NIGHT

"Hockey is not for everyone until everyone is comfortable playing, working, aliases being a instrumentality of this unthinkable game."

Reimer is not nan first NHL subordinate to shun Pride-themed jerseys successful warmups. The Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Provorov cited his Russian Orthodox belief for his logic not to participate successful warmups connected his team's Pride Night erstwhile nan remainder of nan squad wore LGBTQ-themed jerseys.

The New York Rangers promoted its Pride Night successful January, saying players would wrap pride-themed portion connected sticks, but that scheme was besides nixed pinch nary explanation. The aforesaid point occurred pinch nan Minnesota Wild earlier this month.

Goaltender James Reimer of nan San Jose Sharks guards nan nett during first play action against nan Winnipeg Jets astatine Canada Life Centre March 6, 2023, successful Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  (Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

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The Sharks are 19-36-14, and their 52 points are nan second-lowest successful nan league. Reimer's .895 prevention percent ranks 42nd retired of 50 qualified goalies. His 3.26 goals against mean is 40th.