Did Eric Staal wear a pride jersey before? Examining the truth after controversial statement from Staal brothers

Eric Staal and his brother Marc are the most recent names to be involved in NHL's pride jersey controversies. During the Florida Panthers' Thursday night game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team decided to wear a pride jersey during warmups.

However, Eric and his brother Marc refused to wear the pride jerseys, and the event did not go as planned. The controversy erupted after a photo of Eric Staal wearing a pride jersey made the rounds over Twitter.

Eric Staal can be seen wearing a pride jersey in the above Twitter post during his time with the Montreal Canadiens in 2020-21. Despite having clear photographic proof, Eric said in a statement after the game that he had never worn a pride jersey.

The Staal brothers issued a joint statement, citing religious beliefs as the primary reason for not wearing the jerseys on the night. They said:

Less than a week ago, San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer refused to wear the pride jersey during warmups. Reimer also cited religious beliefs as the primary reason for his decision not to wear the pride jersey. His decision was heavily criticized by NHL fans and some other players in the league.

Fans slammed Eric Staal for denying ever wearing the pride jersey

Fans were not too pleased with the fact that Eric denied wearing the pride jersey. Here are some of the reactions:

How has Eric Staal performed this season?

Eric Staal has performed decently this season. The 38-year-old forward has appeared in 62 games for the Panthers this season and has managed to accumulate 25 points, totalling 13 goals and 12 assists.

While his team, the Florida Panthers (36-29-7) have been a fluctuating member for the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They suffered a huge 6-2 defeat to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

The team is currently three points behind the New York Islanders in the East Wild Card. They will play the New York Rangers on Saturday, March 25th.

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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