NHL Cultural Celebrations/Community Theme Nights blog

The NHL is proud of the work its teams devote to the communities they serve. From the special nights all 32 teams will be having all season long, to the frequent outreach beyond the rink, NHL.com will provide all the details on the players, coaches and staff who are such admirable ambassadors for our sport.

November 20

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs celebrated Pride Night during their game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.

Prior to the game, the team hosted members from the Friends of Ruby, an organization that supports 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, at their morning skate. The members also got to tour the Maple Leafs locker room.

The Maple Leafs decorated their sticks with rainbow tape during warmups. The arena was also lit up with rainbow lights.

November 12

St. Louis Blues

The Blues kicked off their Military Appreciation Night with a memorable puck drop.

The Fort Leonard Wood rapell team delivered the game puck from the Enterprise Center rafters and performed the ceremonial puck drop between Blues captain Brayden Schenn and Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic.

The Blues posted footage from one of the rapell team member's helmet camera to their social media accounts.

During player arrivals, the Blues sported custom Military Appreciation jerseys.

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken also sported custom Military Appreciation Night jerseys as they arrived at Climate Pledge Arena for their matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The team will auction off signed jerseys after the game with proceeds benefiting One Roof Foundation and Blue Star Families.

Kraken senior director of technology, an Army veteran, Sean Rawlins read the team's starting lineup in the locker room.

November 11

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers celebrated their Military Appreciation Night on Veterans Day. Before their game against the San Jose Sharks, the Flyers welcomed Veteran Combat Engineer and Flyers Warriors Sergeant Josh Chilcote, his service dog, Turbo, SEAC John Wayne Troxell, and Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha to participate in the ceremonial puck drop.

The team’s mascot, Gritty, also participated in the festivities, bringing a giant United States flag onto the ice.

During walk-ins, the team lined the entrance hallway with signs saluting various servicemen and women.

November 10

Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks

The Ducks, Devils and Blackhawks celebrated their Military Appreciation Nights on Sunday.

Teams wore military-themed warmup jerseys to the game, and the Blackhawks invited the Chicago Warriors veteran group to a team practice.

The Ducks invited the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy Training Team to participate in the team's pregame festivities, including rappelling from the ceiling.

November 3

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks celebrated their Hispanic Heritage Night on Sunday at Honda Center. The theme coincided with celebrations of Dia de Muertos. The team provided face painting to fans, as well as special hats and T-shirts with a redesigned Ducks logo.

October 30

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks celebrated Firefighters Night during their game against the New Jersey Devils at Rogers Arena on Wednesday.

Liz Rose, a local firefighter who is the youngest Canadian to reach the seven summits, performed the ceremonial puck drop between Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and his brother, Devils forward Jack Hughes, before the game.

Hughes, who helped create the initative, and his family met with over 100 BC firefighters after the game. The firefighters presented the Canucks captain with a custom painted helmet.

October 29

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks celebrated Diwali Night, honoring the Hindu festival of lights, at Rogers Arena on Monday.

The team commissioned a special logo designed by Keerat Kaur, a Sikh Punjabi artist based in Vancouver, who came up with a gorgeous firework-inspired theme inside the team's whale logo.

The team also put the spotlight on some hard working South Asian coaches across British Columbia on the special night.

Of course no celebration is complete without music, which was provided by the Rangla Punjab Arts Academy. A member of the Canucks ice crew even showed off some moves during the Diwali celebration.

The celebration came just days after Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains, whose parents immigrated from Punjab, India in 1982, scored his first NHL goal.

In a pregame interview Bains said the team's Diwali celebration was a special and fun night.

October 26

Nashville Predators

Bridgestone Arena hosted Pride Music Heritage Night on Saturday, and the team wore some pretty sharp looking jerseys to celebrate.

The Predators logo was given a mosaic look inside with an extended blue shadow featuring four stars on it and was striped around the edges with rainbow colors. Mia Saine, a Smithsonian-nominated Illustrator from Memphis, re-imagined the logo for the special theme night.

The jerseys, white with navy trim, were signed by players and auctioned for charity.

The team celebrated and recognized members of the Pride community, including Kevin Kennedy as the National Anthem singer, Fimone as the Band Stage musical performer, members from the Tennessee Pride Chamber as towel wavers for the game and Glamazon Board Member Austin Anderson as the Mayor of Smashville.

Pride Music Heritage Night is the second of the four-part Music Heritage Night season series which consists of entertainment and representation from diverse communities in Nashville.

October 22

New Jersey Devils

On Tuesday, the Devils celebrated Hispanic Heritage Night during their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Prudential Center.

The Devils arrived to the arena wearing special pregame jerseys.

The jerseys were desgined by local Puerto Rican artists Lu and Jay Reyes. On the crest, the Devils logo sits on top of drawings of flowers, the sun, leaves and stars. The color scheme is red, blue, green and yellow.

After the game, the jerseys will be auctioned off with the proceeds benefiting Tree House Cares, a local charity that brings groceries, meals and clothing to those in need.

October 19

Seattle Kraken

Climate Pledge Arena celebrated Hispanic Heritage Night on Saturday with some stunning pregame jerseys.

Designed by artist Victor Melendez, a native of Mexico City now living in the Pacific Northwest, the sweaters feature a stunningly colorful image of a dragon in the shape of the familiar Kraken "S" logo.

Melendez said his style is a combination of many different aspects, much of it from traditional Mexican culture, but also a heavy influence from the Pacific Northwest.

October 16

Florida Panthers

The defending Stanley Cup champions hosted their "Pink at the Rink" night and the jerseys created for the event, by local artist nico, were incredible.

October 15

Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators celebrated Hispanic Music Heritage Night during their game against the Seattle Kraken at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

During walk-ins, the Predators sported custom jerseys designed by local artist Valentina Harper. The crest of the black jersey's feature guitars, maracas, trumpets, bongos and accordians fit in the shape of the Predators logo.

Fans in attendance received a mini vinyl record coaster which feature the jersey's design on them.

After the game, the Predators are auctioning off the signed jerseys.