A steamy Canadian television show centering on a gay hockey romance has swept the nation after launching on HBO Max, but one real-life gay hockey player doesnt think the show will make any actual professional players want to come out. In 2016, Brock McGillis became the first ever out gay professional hockey player. He recently told Pink News that he disagrees wholeheartedly with the idea that the show will help queer players feel more comfortable being open about their sexuality. Related Riley Gaines ties for 5th place in Outsports A-hole of the Year award It might help the people around [players] understand a little more if theyre dating somebody; hopefully, McGillis said, but he cautioned that the show is more likely to become the butt of jokes in locker rooms than an inspiration. Its probably more likely to have an adverse effect on a player coming out, he said. And I hate to be negative because I really enjoy the show. But I also dont believe that many hockey bros are going to watch it. And I dont think, if they are watching it, theyre talking about it positively. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today That being said, he emphasized that hockey players are really good people. If a player did come out, hockey players would be the most likely to rally around their teammate more than any of the other big sports, he posited. The problem, he said, is that players dont realize how problematic their words can be and how they might keep people in the closet. He said one thing about hockey culture that the show does not portray accurately is just how normalized homophobia is in daily conversations.The language, behaviors, and attitudes that you get in locker rooms are sometimes homophobic that starts at a very young age and progresses through your whole life. Youre programmed to feel that everyone will hate you and youll lose your career.Sometimes I dont think people recognise what theyre saying or the impact it has, McGillis said. But if youre hearing that daily, its death by 1,000 paper cuts. No active NHL player has ever come out.McGillis never played in the NHL. Additionally, he did not come out until after his hockey career had ended.In 2021, Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop came out in a social media post, which made him the first player under contract in the National Hockey League (NHL) active or retired to come out. Prokop never actually played for the Predators, though, and remained in the minor leagues until the team released him.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.