Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin will not participate in the team’s pregame skate ahead of its Pride night matchup with the Canadiens on Monday. The rest of Buffalo’s players will be wearing Pride jerseys, the Sabres said. Here’s what you need to know:
- Lyubushkin cited fears about Russian law and what it would mean when he goes home to Russia in his decision. The 28-year-old was born in Russia and started his career there. He returns home to his wife and children in the offseason.
- On Friday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic that the league does not have any information to suggest that Russian players are facing “material” threats, in Russia or elsewhere, if they choose to participate in Pride night activities.
- Buffalo said in a statement that it “feels strongly that one way to garner support (for the LGBTQIA+ community) is through wearing Pride jerseys and using Pride tape in warmups.” The Sabres added: “That said, we are aware of the general threats to certain players and understand their decision to forego risk.”
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 27, 2023
Backstory
Teams’ concern for Russian player safety has arisen since Russia’s anti-gay laws were amended in early December. Per The New York…
