Sharks Miss NHL Playoffs to Ensure James Reimer Won’t Have to Play During Pride Month

A tradition 4 years running.

On Tuesday, March 14th, the San Jose Sharks lost in overtime to the Columbus Blue Jackets, making the Sharks the first team eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention. The team is said to have missed the playoffs so that their goalie, James Reimer, would not have to play hockey during LGBTQ Pride Month.

Reimer (ranked #38 in GAA) recently boycotted the 2023 Sharks Pride Night, citing his Christian beliefs. Jesus saves, but Reimer does not, ranking 40th in the league among goaltenders in Save Percentage - a statistic that could attribute to the Sharks missing their 4th straight playoffs.

The San Jose Sharks released a statement on this matter, saying:

"...we also acknowledge and accept the rights of individuals to express themselves... as an organization we will not waiver in support of the LGBTQIA+ community."

With this statement, the Sharks organization wants to make it clear that they support the oppressed and the oppressor. They would love to fully support both the LGBTQIA+ community and James Reimer (ranked #46 in Wins) as they try strike a balance between keeping a soon-to-be-free agent goalie happy, and throwing a community essential to the Bay Area under the bus.