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Brad Marchand has been chosen to be the Bruins Hockey is for Everyone ambassador for the second year in a row. Throughout February, the NHL celebrates “Hockey is for Everyone” month. The You Can Play team and Hockey is for Everyone strives to make the sport more inclusive to include the LGBTQ community as well as people of all genders. Every team in the NHL hosts a Hockey is for Everyone night and also chooses a player to be their team ambassador for the month of February.
The Bruins dedicated Hockey is for Everyone night is tonight at home against the St. Louis Blues. Diversity will be celebrated throughout tonight’s contest at TD Garden, as during warmups, the players will be sporting rainbow stick tape to show their support for the initiative. How cool is that? Who wouldn’t want to use rainbow tape on their stick?
Why was Marchy chosen to be the Bruins ambassador? Despite being one of the NHL’s biggest pests, Brad Marchand strongly believes that hockey is for everyone. Last season, Marchand said that there’s “no question” a gay player would be welcomed into an NHL locker room. Around this time last year, Marchand was attacked via twitter with a homophobic slur and he responded saying “This derogatory statement is offensive to so many people around the world, you’re the kind of kid parents are ashamed of.” First of all, what an absolute fire comeback from the king of chirping. Second of all, this shows how much Marchand truly believes in equality for all. He clearly won’t tolerate any homophobic slurs or activity, which shows the kind of person he is off the ice.
Marchy is easily the biggest pest in the NHL, and he knows it. However, when it comes to serious matters like Hockey is for Everyone, he is all inclusive. The 2x All Star proves day in and day out that he is someone you’d want to have on your team. I’d like to say thank you to Marchand for being the Bruins ambassador for this initiative, there is truly no one better for the job than the guy that calls out the homophobic nonsense day in and day out.