Former New York Rangers hockey star Ron Duguay said he predicted the team would lose on Pride Night because of the “bad mojo” created by the promotion.
Duguay, the old friend from former Republican veep nominee Sarah Palin, rendered on X Monday as the Rangers fell to the Los Angeles Kings4-1, at Madison Square Garden.
“I didn’t want to say it before the match, but I saw this coming tonight at 4-1 after singing the national anthem of [rainbow] flag to a small group, bad idea, bad mojo,” he wrote in the now-deleted post that was shared by the Toronto Sun in a screenshot.
“I’m not blaming the entire Rangers organization. It’s just a select few college brains who are washed up, woke kids who have pushed their agenda on others in the organization.”
Bleacher Report hockey writer Adam Herman pointed out that the Rangers, who are in last place in points in the Eastern Conference, have consistently emerged victorious on Pride Night. He gave a better reason for their misfortune.
“Maybe this year’s team lost because they lose the most games,” he wrote.
Duguay has far more pressing matters on his mind than insulting LGBTQ+ hockey fans. He recently announced this he has stage 4 cancer.
But his words carry weight for some fans. After his playing career ended from 1977-1989, he later served as TV analyst for the Rangers on MSG for 12 years until 2018.
Before Monday’s game, he slammed the team for giving away a Pride Night bag to the first 10,000 spectators.
Duguay complained that the promotion “encouraged the transgender lifestyle” in a message he left.
The NHL’s efforts to recognize the gay community have faced setbacks before.
Perhaps Duguay should follow the example of U.S. Olympic hockey hero Jack Hughes, who scored the winning overtime goal in Team USA’s gold medal game last month.
Hughes, who plays for the New Jersey Devils, said in a Interview from 2024: “The team I play for… we really support that. We’re a very welcoming organization… Of course, with the way we grew up, my family really supports that as well.”
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