NHL prospect Luke Prokop says he is gay. 'This is who I am.'

Luke Prokop, a 19-year-old prospect for the Nashville Predators, is the first active player under contract to an NHL team to come out as gay, saying that he wants to live “the way I want to” as his professional career unfolds.

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NHL prospect Luke Prokop says he is gay. ‘This is who I am.’

By Cindy Boren
July 19, 2021 | Updated today at 11:44 a.m. EDT

Luke Prokop, a 19-year-old prospect for the Nashville Predators, is the first active player under contract to an NHL team to come out as gay, saying that he wants to live “the way I want to” as his professional career unfolds.

“It has been quite the journey to get to this point in my life, but I could not be happier with my decision to come out,” Prokop wrote on social media. “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.”

Prokop, a 6-foot-4 defenseman from Edmonton, was a third-round draft pick by the Predators in 2020. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the team and played for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League last season.

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By Cindy Boren
Cindy Boren arrived at The Post in 2000 as an assignment editor in charge of baseball and NFL/Washington Football Team coverage. She switched to full-time writing, focusing on national sports stories and issues, when she founded The Early Lead blog in 2010. Twitter https://twitter.com/cindyboren