LGBTQ communities 'deserve better' as Marc, Eric Staal refuse to wear Pride jerseys, says Rainbow Collective

A pride organization in Thunder Bay, Ont., says LGBTQ communities "deserve better" after NHLers Eric and Marc Staal's decided not to wear Pride warmup jersey's with the rest of the Florida Panthers Thursday. 

The Rainbow Collective Thunder Bay issued a statement in response to the Staal brother's decision on social media, urging the brothers to better understand why Pride nights are important to the community.

"Wearing a pride jersey or rainbow is not about endorsing certain values or that you're Gay, what it's saying is that you're welcome here and that you are welcoming of diverse backgrounds," the statement said.

"The community has invested in their hometown hockey heroes, and [it's] more important than ever that Eric and Marc Staal, are role models to nor only their own children but those youth who look up to them," the statement posted to social media reads.

It adds the organization is urging the Staals to "understand why these nights are vitally important to ensuring a truly welcoming and inclusive hockey community." 

The Staal brothers are just the latest NHL players to opt out of wearing commemorative Pride jerseys during Pride nights. San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer and Philadelphia''s Ivan Provorov both previously declined to wear jerseys with their teams, citing religious beliefs. 

They issued a statement before the game, saying that wearing a pride jersey would go against their Christian beliefs.

"We carry no judgment on how people choose to live their lives, and believe that all people should be welcome in all aspects of the game of hockey," the Staal brothers said in a statement. "Having said that, we feel that by us wearing a Pride jersey it goes against our Christian beliefs."

Most members of the Panthers donned the special Pride-themed warmup jerseys ahead of the team's 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

The jerseys were part of Florida's annual Pride night game in support of the area's LGBTQ community, and were also going to be auctioned in support of You Can Play. The organization works to promote safety and inclusion in sports, including LGBTQ athletes, coaches and fans.

Florida Panthers Foundation also promised to match all funds raised last night, in support of LGBTQ nonprofits in the South Florida community.

After the loss, Eric Staal said he wanted to stick with the brothers' statement and "try my best to move forward."

Marc Staal was not made available to the media after the game. 

Speaking after the game, Panthers coach Paul Maurice described the Staal brothers as men of faith, and then noted how the rest of the team wore the warmup jerseys.