RD Luke Prokop - Calgary Hitmen, WHL (2020, 73rd, NSH)

[LastWordArmy]

I couldn't find a thread for Prokop with the search bar. If I missed it, please feel free to merge this.


The seventh overall pick in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, defenceman Luke Prokop had a breakout season in his second full WHL campaign. The big defenceman from Edmonton, Alberta plays down the road for the Calgary Hitmen and put up four goals and 19 assists for 23 points in 53 games this year. After teammate Yegor Zamula was injured, Prokop inherited his top pair minutes and the assignment of playing against the other team’s top line. He thrived in the role and has moved up draft boards as a result.

In 2018-19, Prokop played 62 games for the Hitmen, putting up one goal and nine assists for ten points. He also added four assists in 11 WHL Playoff Games. He also played for Team Canada White at the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. Prokop had one assist in five games. He also served as an alternate captain for the team.

Prokop played 14 games for the Hitmen in 2017-18, picking up two assists. He spent the season with Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep. In 28 games he scored four goals and 20 points. He also added one goal and eight points in five playoff games, leading the team to the CSSHL Championship.

Our Scouting Report
Luke Prokop Scouting Report: 2020 NHL Draft #94 - Last Word on Hockey

Click to read more...

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Nashville!

 

[Soundgarden]

Never going to be mad at us choosing a 6'4 defenseman in the 3rd round.

 

[Dr Pepper]

How far out is he from being an NHL regular, another year or so?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

How far out is he from being an NHL regular, another year or so?

He likely needs some seasoning in the AHL, i’d say 3 years till he’s an NHL regular.

 

[King Weber]

How far out is he from being an NHL regular, another year or so?

As the poster above me said, will likely need some seasoning in the AHL. Right now, even with Ellis gone, I'd say he's 6th in the depth chart on the right side, below Carrier, Fabbro, Myers, Benning and Allard.

 

[Blueston]

He will have millions pulling for him.

 

[MBH]

Nashville knows how to pick defense - so Prokop has that going for him.

 

[ponder]

First player under an NHL contract to come out, ever!

It may seem like coming out isn’t such a huge deal anymore, but it really depends on the context. The fact that he’s the first to ever do this means there’s still a lot of roadblocks there in the NHL. There’s obviously been plenty of gay NHLers, but none have felt able to come out before, this is a big step. Hope Luke is the first of many, everyone should be able to live as their authentic selves.

 

[The Sweetness]

It’s so crazy not a single NHL’er has come out as being gay. There are obviously loads of queer hockey players but the fact none of them has felt comfortable enough to come out shows how significant this is.

Hopefully Prokop will help other hockey players that they don’t need to hide their identity and can live openly with their boyfriends/partners/husbands/etc.

 

[Garl]

He will have millions pulling for him.

Because he is gay? Weird form of tribalism.

 

[Garl]

It’s so crazy not a single NHL’er has come out as being gay. There are obviously loads of queer hockey players but the fact none of them has felt comfortable enough to come out shows how significant this is.

Hopefully Prokop will help other hockey players that they don’t need to hide their identity and can live openly with their boyfriends/partners/husbands/etc.

There were some gay players before, just not in the NHL. Danish goalie last year, a guy in Sweden in the 90s, ex finnish U18 national team player, also last year there was a story about a gay player in Russia(VHL), though the details of that story would probably not make a good PR for LGBT

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Because he is gay? Weird form of tribalism.

Not weird at all. People are pulling for the first openly gay player to make it, just like they cheered on the first woman in space, etc.

People cheer on pioneers, it's not weird or new. It's only tribalism to butthurt haters and boomers who hate change..

 

[Garl]

Not weird at all. People are pulling for the first openly gay player to make it, just like they cheered on the first woman in space, etc.

People cheer on pioneers, it's not weird ore new. It's only tribalism to butthurt haters and boomers who hate change..

First woman in space was a massive flop btw, she was a good reason that they didn't work with women for 20 years.

If he is good enough, he makes it, if not, then not, special treatment is divisive to society.

 

[Dr Pepper]

There were some gay players before, just not in the NHL. Danish goalie last year, a guy in Sweden in the 90s, ex finnish U18 national team player, also last year there was a story about a gay player in Russia(VHL), though the details of that story would probably not make a good PR for LGBT

Openly? Sure.

But it's a statistical impossibility for there not to have been a single gay NHLer before Prokop - albeit he hasn't "officially" made it yet either. Soon, though.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

First woman in space was a massive flop btw, she was a good reason that they didn't work with women for 20 years.

If he is good enough, he makes it, if not, then not, special treatment is divisive to society.

It’s weird tribalism that you’d say that

 

[ponder]

There were some gay players before, just not in the NHL. Danish goalie last year, a guy in Sweden in the 90s, ex finnish U18 national team player, also last year there was a story about a gay player in Russia(VHL), though the details of that story would probably not make a good PR for LGBT

FWIW there are lots of indications that there have been plenty of in-the-closet gay NHLers. There have been a number of interviews where journalists claim to have spoken with in-the-closet gay NHLers who asked not to be identified. Example (One Athlete's Story):

<closeted gay NHLer talking about running into other NHLers at gay bars>

Most of the time the other player is equally willing to avoid discussing the situation. “A few times the guy has just said like, ‘Aaron Barnes, huh?’ Then I’ll say, ‘We will talk about this later.’ But I never do.”

He informs me that he has seen about a dozen players in gay bars over the years. “One time, I ran into another player from my own team.”
Despite being “absolutely terrified,” he played the encounter off without candor. “What are you doing here?” his teammate asked. “Just checking the place out,” he responded. “Me too,” his teammate quipped. They have yet to talk about their encounter.

Also, somewhere roughly around 3% of men identify as gay or bi: Demographics of sexual orientation - Wikipedia Considering about 8000 men have played in the NHL (all time), if they followed the same trends as the general population, that’d be ~240 gay NHLers (ever). Even if the NHL is 10x more straight than the general population (highly unlikely IMO), that’d still be ~24 all-time gay NHLers.

 

[Garl]

FWIW there are lots of indications that there have been plenty of in-the-closet gay NHLers. There have been a number of interviews where journalists claim to have spoken with in-the-closet gay NHLers who asked not to be identified. Example (One Athlete's Story):



Also, somewhere roughly around 3% of men identify as gay or bi: Demographics of sexual orientation - Wikipedia Considering about 8000 men have played in the NHL (all time), if they followed the same trends as the general population, that’d be ~240 gay NHLers (ever). Even if the NHL is 10x more straight than the general population (highly unlikely IMO), that’d still be ~24 all-time gay NHLers.

Well, we have already discussed this with another guy, but well, there are way more LGBT people now, than before, and majority of NHL players have played in the past and came from more traditional background. 200-300 gay players is almost impossible. Good chance there were some gay or bi players though.

 

[Treb]

Well, we have already discussed this with another guy, but well, there are way more LGBT people now, than before, and majority of NHL players have played in the past and came from more traditional background. 200-300 gay players is almost impossible. Good chance there were some gay or bi players though.

I disagree with that. The difference now is that less LGBT hide themselves in an heterosexual marriage with someone they are not attracted to.

Background has no impact on sexuality, only on how/if you express it.

 

[ponder]

Well, we have already discussed this with another guy, but well, there are way more LGBT people now, than before, and majority of NHL players have played in the past and came from more traditional background. 200-300 gay players is almost impossible. Good chance there were some gay or bi players though.

There are certainly more openly LGBT people now, but whether there are more full stop is arguable. Also, there are A LOT more NHL players per year now than well in the past, as the league has grown from 6 teams to 32 this coming season, so overall number of NHLers would bias modern.

Regardless, I think hockey culture, and really sports culture in general, would scare away plenty of LGBT athletes. I agree there wouldn’t be 200-300 all time gay NHLers, but I think 10s to 100 or so is very likely.

 

[Garl]

There are certainly more openly LGBT people now, but whether there are more full stop is arguable. Also, there are A LOT more NHL players per year now than well in the past, as the league has grown from 6 teams to 32 this coming season, so overall number of NHLers would bias modern.

Regardless, I think hockey culture, and really sports culture in general, would scare away plenty of LGBT athletes. I agree there wouldn’t be 200-300 all time gay NHLers, but I think 10s to 100 or so is very likely.

Yes, I mostly agree with this analysis

 

[Garl]

I disagree with that. The difference now is that less LGBT hide themselves in an heterosexual marriage with someone they are not attracted to.

Background has no impact on sexuality, only on how/if you express it.

That is your opinion. I def dont agree that relationships are exlusively based on who is attracted to who, nor do I agree with the term "hide". Sexuality is not entirely determined by genes or by environment.
But discussion of this topic is probably not for this forum

 

[WaW]

All the people who were scared of posting their edgelord opinions in the thread about Prokop's coming out in the NHL Talk forum are hiding in here, lmao.

 

[BMann]

First woman in space was a massive flop btw, she was a good reason that they didn't work with women for 20 years.

If he is good enough, he makes it, if not, then not, special treatment is divisive to society.

Achieved more than you will ever have done though. Your anti-Russian bias is quite boring and tedious in the extreme.

 

[cmcneil02]

Looks like he's off to an awesome start with his new team Edmonton Oil Kings, 15gp 5g 5g 10p. Hope he keeps getting better! As a gay guy myself I'm really rooting for him! Does he have World Junior potentional? Not sure what's on the back end this coming year.