Sharks Satisfaction Night time isn’t about Satisfaction anymore.

At the very least when it comes to narrative, after James Reimer introduced immediately that he is not going to be carrying a Satisfaction warm-up jersey for Sharks Satisfaction Night time tonight.

BREAKING: Reimer Declines To Put on Satisfaction Jersey

The San Jose Sharks had introduced their Satisfaction Night time initiatives earlier this week, however there was some query whether or not each Shark would take part.

In previous seasons, across the NHL and with the Sharks, there had been Satisfaction Nights and Satisfaction jerseys worn with no vital opposition.

Sharks To Put on Satisfaction Night time Jerseys, However Will Everybody Put on Them?

However that received turned on its head in January, when Ivan Provorov of the Philadelphia Flyers declined to put on a Satisfaction jersey, citing his Russian Orthodox spiritual beliefs. Then, the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild reneged on commitments to put on Satisfaction jerseys earlier than their Satisfaction Nights.

Reimer, following Provorov, is the second NHL participant to brazenly decline carrying a Satisfaction jersey.

He’s the one Sharks participant who is not going to put on the Satisfaction jersey in warm-ups tonight and won’t take part in warm-ups. Reimer will likely be lively as Kaapo Kahkonen’s back-up.

The San Jose Sharks and Reimer launched statements this morning, this captain Logan Couture, head coach David Quinn, and Reimer took questions from the media.

These are their press conferences of their entirety.

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Logan Couture, on Reimer’s refusal to take part in Satisfaction Night time:

Each particular person has a selection and he has made his. The remainder of us are going to be carrying the jersey. I feel this group sees this as an especially essential night time. And I feel numerous guys within the room are very excited to exit and put on the jersey and have fun it. I feel that hockey actually is for everybody. It’s an inclusive sport. We wish it to be that method. We’re trying ahead to going on the market and placing the jersey on and enjoying a recreation.

Couture, on why it’s personally essential for him and the remainder of his San Jose Sharks teammates to put on the Satisfaction jerseys:

I can simply communicate for myself. Each particular person is totally different. Each particular person has totally different beliefs. There’s numerous guys on a hockey crew and that’s the best way that the world is, I suppose. For me, I’ve all the time loved all these video games, these varieties nights. We often have one yearly right here in San Jose, no less than to my information. I do assume that hockey is at its greatest when it consists of everybody. Everybody will get to get pleasure from this unbelievable recreation that we play. It truly is numerous enjoyable to play. So I feel each individual ought to have the chance to play.

Couture, on how he came upon about Reimer’s choice:

It was mentioned. He introduced it as much as the blokes and that was mainly it. We talked about it simply actually rapidly. I feel he put out a press release, most likely alongside the identical strains of what he stated (to us).

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David Quinn, on Reimer’s refusal to take part in Satisfaction Night time:

All people’s entitled to how they really feel and clearly our group has been fairly clear on how we really feel about supporting the LGBT group and about inclusion and acceptance. We respect James’s choice simply as I do know he respects our choice to assist the group and embrace tonight.

Quinn, on if there was any thought to have Reimer sit out the sport:

No, that was by no means mentioned.

Quinn, on when he came upon about Reimer’s choice:

We had talked about it a pair days in the past. James and I had a dialog. In order that was type of how the entire thing got here to be. He informed me his views and I revered him and clearly he’s clear on how we really feel as a company and so he’s very respectful of us in our night time and our assist of the LGBT group and anyone else who desires to partake in hockey. Like I stated, we respect his particular person emotions as effectively.

Quinn, on what sort of message this sends:

I feel this can be a matter that … I don’t wish to say it’s subjective, however simply because James isn’t carrying a jersey, doesn’t imply he’s not accepting of the group. Folks really feel in a different way and like I stated, I don’t wish to get too deep to it from James’s standpoint. I’ll let James communicate for itself. However I’ve received numerous respect for James Reimer.

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Reimer’s assertion after his official assertion:

One thing that I wish to type of reiterate, you guys can ask me and whatnot. You may verify me on it. However you recognize what I’m like, my status. I really feel like I’ve handled you guys [in the media] with respect and dignity. That’s how I deal with everybody.

So far as teammates, no matter race, faith, sexual orientation, I deal with them with the identical kindness and respect. When a man walks within the room, I don’t ask him his life story.

My religion stated, like I stated earlier than, everybody has value and worth and I really like them. When a man will get traded to a crew, usually I’ll ask the folks in cost, what’s their quantity? So I can ship them a textual content. Welcome to the crew, ask in the event that they want something. I don’t try this based mostly off what they consider or what they determine with.
I try this as a result of I’m taught to like and to take care of folks. That’s who I’m.

However the counter aspect or the opposite aspect is, I simply can’t publicly or personally endorse one thing that goes towards my beliefs. That’s type of the place I’m at to date.

Perhaps one story to assist bridge the hole or to grasp? I’ve a lot of superior teammates, and even within the room right here, we’ve guys that consider various things.

However in Toronto, Nazem Kadri as a teammate, beloved him to demise. I don’t know precisely the extent of his religion, his Muslim religion. However he’s a Muslim.

I feel you possibly can discuss to him and ask him if I handled him any totally different. I really like him. I competed with him on the ice, we joked round, we did life collectively.

And but, folks would perceive if I wouldn’t be capable of put on a Muslim jersey in warm-ups, selling the Muslim religion, being a Christian and a observe in Christ. He himself would absolutely perceive that.

I do know this may be complicated and extremely advanced at occasions. However finish of the day, I really like everybody and the folks on this group.

Once more, if I had a homosexual teammate, I hope I’d be the primary one to shake his hand when he is available in and deal with him like I’d another teammate.

Some perspective for me, or some context for you guys, this wasn’t a simple choice for me. I’m not scared to face up for my religion in Christ. However I wrestle with it as a result of I do know the preliminary response of placing out a press release like this or exhibiting as much as warm-ups and never carrying the jersey can come throughout as offensive or a slap within the face.

I really like them and that preliminary response will not be one thing that I intend and that I don’t like taking place. However once more for me, clearly, it goes again to my religion and the depth of who I’m, how I’ve proven over my profession and over my life, and I hope to proceed to indicate that. I’m on no account good in any method.

However I’ll present that I really do love and care. I simply can’t publicly and personally endorse that.

Reimer, on if he would have participated in Satisfaction Night time final 12 months (SJHN word: Reimer was injured on the time of the San Jose Sharks’ Satisfaction Night time final 12 months on Mar. 5, 2022):

It’s robust … so what different groups have executed up to now is, some groups have executed stick tape or one thing like that, proper? When it turns into a jersey, it’s somewhat extra … some guys don’t do the tape, some guys do. (The tape) will not be as, I don’t know what the fitting phrase is, however necessary or in your face or no matter. So relating to jerseys, then it’s undoubtedly extra of a choice and it type of quantities to one thing like this in case you select to not put on the jersey. Then we’re type of again to that query once I noticed groups beginning to put on jerseys, I knew that may intersect with my Christian religion.

Reimer, on why he refused to put on a Satisfaction jersey:

It’s one thing that I noticed developing final 12 months. There’s a bunch of groups beginning to put on them and I simply got here to the conviction by way of my religion that it went towards what I consider the Bible says. I don’t wish to actually go into an excessive amount of element in regards to the behind the scenes stuff. However it’s one thing that I attempted to do my due diligence and simply got here to the truth that the easiest way to face up for what I consider in was simply to not put on the jersey after which to attempt to make this as loving and least offensive as doable.

Reimer, on what he sees when he sees the Satisfaction jersey and the Rainbow image:

I get what the message is. I feel individuals are attempting to indicate assist to the group and I’m certain folks locally really feel marginalized. So it’s folks attempting to come back alongside (with) them in a public method and assist them. For me, to some extent, that’s what you wish to do is you wish to love them, however the place I preserve reiterating what I’m saying is the place it intersects for a Christian and the best way I personally and the folks near me in my life interpret the bible is you’re keen on them, however you may’t assist the exercise or life-style.

Reimer, on folks considering in a different way about him after this:

On the finish of the day, you may’t fear an excessive amount of about what different folks take into consideration you. When you take the analogy again to hockey, folks assume I suck as a goalie in some video games and a few folks love me proper? I’ve performed lengthy sufficient to know that you would be able to solely belief the folks in your circle, what they are saying about you. When somebody you belief says you didn’t play effectively, you are taking it to coronary heart proper. When somebody you don’t belief says it, you type of simply let it slide off your again. So with this the premise is analogous. The one distinction is that they’ll assume in a different way of me and that’s their very own opinion, or, they’re free to say and assume no matter they need. That’s 100% their proper. I simply hope that deep down or to some extent they simply perceive that I really do love everybody that I come into contact with and I fail miserably generally. However I attempt to stay a life like Christ the place you’re keen on folks. And I hope that they know that there’s a God that loves them and John 3:16 – (he) despatched his son to die and that there’s a deep love for him.

Reimer, on what’s totally different about his Christianity versus different Christians who’ve worn Satisfaction jerseys:

Actually, I can’t communicate for everyone else’s coronary heart. There’s totally different religions. There’s totally different beliefs. There’s guys who don’t have beliefs however are detached. Guys who do have, and the one factor that I can communicate for and I’m accountable for is my very own coronary heart and the way the spirit convicts me once I be taught and attempt to perceive the Bible. That’s the easiest way I can reply the query.

Reimer, on if he’s nervous about how this stand will have an effect on him in free company this low season:

I imply, I feel I’d be mendacity if I stated that wasn’t one thing that crossed my thoughts truthfully. I’ll return to what I stated. This isn’t a stance that I used to be trying to make. I noticed this taking place and we began conversations virtually a 12 months in the past with folks in excessive locations. Not as a result of I’m ashamed of my religion, however due to sure penalties that might have for me or different those who really feel this fashion. These conversations occurred, and right here I’m standing up for what I consider in. I’m certain there’s folks in administration or possession that received’t look favorably on this. And I get that and I perceive it and respect everybody’s proper to assume and consider no matter they need about me. However on the identical time, I hope that there’s one other handful of individuals in administration and in possession that respect me for standing up for what I consider in and that’s an enormous a part of who I’m. The those who know me effectively, each crew is aware of that I give my all each day. That’s a part of my private convictions once more, from the Bible, is to do all the pieces with all of your coronary heart. Once I go on the ice, I give it all the pieces. Once I go within the gymnasium, I give it all the pieces. Once I go dwelling, I give it all the pieces. Yeah, that is one thing that individuals would possibly fell negatively about. However my religion in Christ is who I’m and that’s what makes me the competitor and the loyal teammate that I’m to.

Reimer, on what the Bible says about homosexuality:

There’s a number of situations within the Bible the place it simply mentions the place sexuality and that sure issues that it goes towards God’s phrase. There’s undoubtedly passages, and I don’t wish to be too particular or too broad. I’ll simply say there are there are a number of passages, however on the identical time, it’s important to perceive that there are different issues that the Bible says that aren’t good too, like that everybody is aware of agrees, slander and gossip. You undergo homicide no matter, there’s various things that like that individuals would say, Oh, wow, these are actually unhealthy, and somebody says like, Oh, these aren’t so unhealthy. You already know what I imply? However they’re simply issues that, the primary commandment is to like God, that’s crucial one, proper? And so, whenever you love him, there’s sure issues that you simply attempt to do, proper? The one distinction for a Christian is that there are not any different nights that we might have fun or are what requested me to personally endorse as different issues, and in order that’s why this will get clearly a lot limelight now. If that makes any sense?

Particular due to Corey Masisak and Max Miller for sharing their transcripts.

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