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.

March 25

Nashville Predators

Before hosting the New Jersey Devils at Bridgestone Arena, the Predators showed their pride in all its colors.

The Predators commissioned local artist Tiffany Evans to design their Pride Night jersey and the results were stunning.

The Predators posted that they wished for all to have the "freedom to live authentically and boldly" as they celebrated the team's Pride Night.

Players participated by taping sticks with rainbow "Pride Tape" before the game.

New York Islanders

At UBS Arena on Long Island, rainbow decor adorned the boards and surrouding areas of the ice.

Islanders players were also decked out in special edition Pride hats and shirts.

And ahead of the Islanders game, the team welcomed members of the New York Hockey Alliance for a pregame skate.

January 25

Ottawa Senators

The Senators hosted Black History Appreciation Night on Sunday as the team faced off against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Susan Lucas and David Godwin kicked off the celebration with the ceremonial puck drop.

Susan's grandfather, St. Claire "Pansy" Byard, played for the Truro Sheiks in the historic Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes in 1930.

The team also welcomed various artists to the concourse to help celebrate the special night.

Calgary Flames

The Flames hosted East Asian Celebration Night on Sunday during their game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Players arrived to the arena wearing jerseys with a special Flames logo designed by Calgary-based artist Henry Raul Yu.

During intermission, the Jing Wo Cultural Association performed a traditional Lion Dance on the ice.

In a special episode of Flames TV, the team interviewed organist Warren Tse about the special celebration.

January 22

Boston Bruins

TD Garden was the site of Hockey Is For Everyone Night, where the Bruins hosted the Vegas Golden Knights.

Before the game, the Bruins hosted six players from various communities showing truly that hockey is for everyone. Players representing LGBTQIA+, sled hockey, deaf, blind, special hockey and standing amputee/limb difference athletes.

Bruins players put some Pride Tape on display before the game.

Outside of TD Garden, the entrance steps were decorated with balloons and the steps decked out in rainbow colors.

January 18

Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators have shared a beautiful new logo design for Black Music Heritage Night, which will be at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

The team shared a video of visual artist Elisheba Mrozik of Queen Bee Ink creating the unique logo for the event.

"Music is an escape. Creativity is an escape from those daily kind of oppressions that that you face, no matter who the oppressor is," Mrozik said in the video.

The specially-designed logo is a colorful pattern that is visually appealing, but means so much more.

"I've got a fawohodie here in the center, which is an Adinkra symbol that means freedom. Black, white or whatever, I think we all want the freedom and emancipation to be able to be ourselves," Mrozik said.

Mrozik said that she believes, despite not being a huge sports fan herself, that sports are an important way to connect the community.

"We need to be reminded that we do have control over our identities and how they're portrayed," she said. "And so bringing all of those things into this logo was very important."

January 17

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals celebrated Pride Night on Saturday at Capital One Arena.

Players walked in with Pride beanies and a special backdrop for the day.

During warmups, players had Pride tape on their sticks to show their support.

Even the Capitals mascot, Slapshot, had a special Pride jersey he wore for the game.

Fans in attendance showed off their Pride with special sweaters.