“They follow and try to save face,” Coyotes defenceman Matt Dumba BLASTS NHL over Pride Tape saga

Arizona Coyotes defenceman Matt Dumba has slammed the league and questioned their decision to ban the Pride Tape in the first place.

“They follow and try to save face,” Coyotes defenceman Matt Dumba BLASTS NHL over Pride Tape saga

Matt Dumba (Pic Credit: The Hockey Writers)

The matter revolving around the Pride Tape in the NHL saw a new development on Tuesday. The league announced through its public relations that they are lifting the ban placed on the usage of Pride Tape. This move came after a huge backlash from fans on social media and several stars hitting them out. Arizona Coyotes defenceman Matt Dumba has now blasted the league for this whole saga.

Dumba’s defensive partner, Travis Dermott, shocked the world when he used Pride Tape on his stick. He became the first player to openly defy the rules laid by the National Hockey League. Dumba now had some strong words towards the league and its higher officials.

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While speaking to The Athletic regarding this matter, Dumba said he was not surprised by this action and claimed he understood the criticism they are facing at the moment.

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"Why is that even a thing? Why did they have to do that in the first place? You'll never get the answers from them. You'll never get answers for that. That's just something I've come to understand. They don't have answers for a lot of things that they do. They follow and try to save".
Matt Dumba as per The Athletic.

Travis Dermott amazed to see the ban on Pride Tape being lifted

The Pride Tape and its usage in the NHL have been going on for a few years now. Many huge names would tape their sticks with rainbow-colored tape to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community. This sudden ban had the players stunned. Now that the ban has been lifted, several stars have welcomed this move including Travis Dermott, who hailed this move as “amazing”.

Dermott was the first player to go against the rules this season and use the Pride Tape. This led to fans coming to his aid and once again heavily criticizing the league for their shocking decision. Dermott now is pleased to have a part in this fight and opened up regarding his thoughts on this move.

Travis Dermott
Travis Dermott using Pride Tape (Pic Credit: X)

“It’s amazing… Just them residing that choice, I think speaks wonders. It’s just given the players their voice back,” Dermott said to the Athletic.

The Coyotes are now preparing for their special Pride Night Celebration on October 27. They will face the Los Angeles Kings on that day while celebrating Pride Night at their home arena. The team is currently 3-3-0 for the season and lost 6-3 to the Kings in their last outing. They would be hoping for a much better result in their next meeting with them.

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