Unlike what so many well-intentioned media reports would lead you to believe, the former Seattle Thunderbird’s name is not First Openly Gay Pro Hockey Player Luke Prokop.
It’s just Luke Prokop.
Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
The 6-foot-5 defenseman, a member of the 2023 WHL champion T-Birds, is like any other 23-year-old prospect working for his chance at the NHL.
Well, okay, there is one difference. Prokop is more courageous. He publicly came out in 2021. Whether or not the Nashville Predators prospect ever makes The Show, Prokop’s positive influence will last as long as people obsess about sexual orientation.
Now, an athlete being openly gay should matter about as much as openly enjoying a Swiss cheese sandwich. Since bigots and bullies haven’t figured that out yet, the topic was a necessary part of my conversation with Luke at this past weekend’s Seattle Pride Hockey Classic. (Luke suited up for several games at KCI.)
But mostly, we talked hockey for this Kraken Reaction, because that’s the part of Prokop’s journey that matters most. Go ahead, listen to Luke’s story about his first AHL goal, and try to keep from smiling.