Opening the Gate: How Player-Led Outreach is Shaping a More Inclusive Hockey Culture
- karinnaleonard
- Nov 3, 2025
- 7 min read
Hockey has always been about community. From billet families and locker rooms to fan traditions passed down through generations, the sport is rooted in a strong sense of connection. Today, players are opening the gate and helping that community spread beyond the boards. Player outreach programs are emerging as a defining aspect of today's game, and allowing the sport to grow into a space that is more accessible and welcoming for all. Across the NHL, PWHL, and AHL, players are building community-focused programs that reflect their values and identities. Some are formal programs, while others are quieter acts of leadership—yet each plays a vital role in making hockey a more inclusive and welcoming community.
With the announcement of Pucks and Pages, Jack and Luke Hughes are showing how player-led outreach can turn a small connection into a meaningful impact. Inspired by their own love of reading, the initiative is a multi-year reading program designed to support and encourage literacy among the young kids of New Jersey. The brothers are partnering with JAG Physical Therapy and Hockey in New Jersey to develop a book list as part of the organization's scholastic program. Each participant will receive a signed certificate from Jack and Luke once they finish the recommended reading. To build on this already incentivizing deal, the kids and their parents will be provided a chance to attend a Devils' home game at the Rock. The readers and their parents will not only get to watch the game, but also take part in a post-game meet and greet with the Hughes brothers to talk about the stories they've read.
The first book they selected is Fast Pitch by Nic Stone, an author known for writing stories that amplify diverse voices and experiences. Fast Pitch follows Shenice Lockwood, a young Black softball player who is determined to lead her team to the Fastpitch World Series while also uncovering the real reason her grandfather was pushed out of professional baseball. By beginning with a book that highlights women's athletic ambition and the realities of racism in sports, the Hughes brothers are taking an early step toward encouraging participants to think critically about their place in sports and the world around them.
While Jack and Luke Hughes are focused on helping young kids discover new stories, Sarah Nurse is making sure that hockey itself becomes a space where everyone's story belongs. In tandem with the creation of the PWHL, Sarah introduced Nursey Night—an initiative designed to uplift Black girls in hockey spaces, where they have often been overlooked and underrepresented. She partnered with members from Hockey 4 Youth, Black Girl Hockey Club, and Hockey Equality to invite girls from the community to attend games and meet her afterwards. Rogers Communications' Sports & Media division supports the program by providing the tickets and some merchandise for the kids. What started as a small idea—Nurse sharing her two complimentary tickets (or four if her parents weren't attending) with girls and their families—quickly grew into something larger. After speaking to her team, they were able to create something with an even bigger impact: Nursey Nights presented by Rogers. As Nurse explained, "I just wanted to open up the opportunity lines and make professional women’s hockey as accessible as possible. And so being able to connect with families and youth from different backgrounds, marginalized communities, newcomers to Canada, people who may not normally have the access to hockey, I thought was super-important, and something that I was just very excited to do.”
The recurring nights have become an important celebration of representation within the sport. Nurse reminds fans that hockey is for everyone who shows up to love the game, regardless of identity. She is an inspiring figure for countless young athletes, not only as the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold in hockey, but also as the first woman to appear on the cover of EA Sports' NHL video game. Her visibility on and off the ice showcases what Nursey Night is all about: creating a space for everyone to feel seen and valued in hockey spaces. Nurse told ESPN that for her, visibility goes beyond inspiring young girls to play professional hockey. She explained, "I also hope that for the little boys, they also see women in sports as normal...Women in sports are here to stay. I hope that the next generation and that everybody who wants to play this game is able to see that." Ultimately, Sarah Nurse is helping to create a future where all young players can feel that hockey is a place where they belong.
Where Nurse's work centers on representation and belonging, Patrik Laine focuses on highlighting the emotional impact of the game. Together with his wife, Jordan Leigh, they created From Us to You. The organization focuses on breaking the stigma around mental health in sports by creating a safe space to have honest conversations about mental well-being. Their work reminds players and fans that vulnerability has a place in hockey and sports in general. Jordan is currently working to earn a Master’s in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling from NYU Steinhart, while Patrik brings the lived experience of being a professional hockey player in the NHL. Their unique perspectives allow them to approach mental health from both sides of the game. This month, From Us to You partnered with BetterHelp, a mental health platform that provides online counseling. Together, they will provide one month of free therapy to anyone interested. As they shared in the announcement, the goal is to make mental health care more accessible: "Mental health is just as important as physical health, and taking care of yourself is always worth it. Asking for help is a sign of strength, and we’re here to make it easier to get the support you deserve."
After missing most of the 2023-2024 season while receiving help from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for his own mental health, Laine realized how important it was
to create a space where people could talk openly about their own struggles. On the From Us to You website, individuals can share what's on their mind, offer advice, or simply connect with others through written or video messages. Mental health challenges can feel isolating, but Patrik and Jordan are working to remind people that no one has to navigate these struggles alone.
This summer, the Laine's hosted a fashion show to raise funds in support of mental health care. On August 21st, they organized the From Us to You x M.A.D. Festival Fashion Show, where a slew of Montreal-area athletes and their partners walked the runway in designer outfits. While speaking about his struggles publicly was intimidating, Patrik explained, "I figured that if I myself am opening up about my life a little bit and my struggles, if that’s going to resonate with some people, that’s obviously great. If they can get some help in their own lives from my story and my struggles, then it’s already worth it. It’s a topic people don’t talk about enough. I figured I had a big platform that I could put to good use." Patrik Laine's openness reveals how honesty can bring people together. By allowing his struggles to be visible, Laine challenged the idea that toughness in hockey requires silence. From Us to You helped to create a new reality of what strength can look like, grounded in vulnerability and connection.
Not all forms of outreach fit into a neatly branded program. Some players can create change simply by using their voice and choosing to live openly. One of these players is defenseman Luke Prokop, who currently plays for the AHL Bakersfield Condors. In 2021, he came out as gay—becoming the first player under an NHL contract to do so. Since that initial moment of honesty, Prokop has continued to advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, showing that sometimes the most influential outreach comes from having the courage to be seen.
For Prokop, the choice to come out was rooted in the belief that living authentically would allow him to be a stronger athlete. He has continued to pursue his career in professional hockey while also becoming a meaningful figure for fans and young athletes to look up to. In his initial announcement, Luke shared, “From a young age I have dreamed of being an NHL player, and I believe that living my authentic life will allow me to bring my whole self to the rink and improve my chances of fulfilling my dreams." He later reflected, "I realized that if I tell my story, then it’s going to reach someone out there who was going through the same thing that I was, who maybe didn’t have the support or something like that. But just to let them know that you can be who you are and do what you love.” By bringing his full self to the rink, Luke Prokop opened the doors for others to do the same—expanding the possibilities for who can belong in hockey.
Across different leagues and varying levels, these players are reshaping what it means to participate in hockey culture. The work of Jack and Luke Hughes, Sarah Nurse, Patrik and Jordan Laine, and Luke Prokop shows that space can be made for a community of all identities both on and off the ice. Their efforts demonstrate that the future of the sport is not just about performance but about connection—built through representation, openness, and authenticity.
Edited by: Kelly Cassette
Comments