Luke Prokop

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Not to be confused with Luke Prokopec.

Luke Prokop
Prokop with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2022
Born (2002-05-06) May 6, 2002 (age 22)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team (P)
Cur. team		 Nashville Predators
Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)
NHL draft 73rd overall, 2020
Nashville Predators
Playing career 2022–present

Luke Prokop (born May 6, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League as a prospect for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL), who selected him in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 2021, Prokop came out as gay, becoming the first player under contract with an NHL team to do so.[1]

Playing career

Prokop is from Edmonton, Alberta.[1] He became a fan of Shea Weber, a right-handed defenceman, when he watched Weber playing ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics for the Canadian men's national ice hockey team.[2][3] Prokop became a fan of Weber's team, the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL), and began wearing jersey number 6 in his honour.[4]

Prokop attended the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL) selected Prokop with their first round selection, the seventh overall, of the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft.[5] He played for Canada's national under-18 ice hockey team in the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships.[6]

The Predators selected Prokop in the third round, with the 73rd overall selection, of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.[7][3] In December 2020, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Predators,[4][8] and spent the 2020–21 season with Calgary.

The Hitmen traded Prokop to the Edmonton Oil Kings on October 13, 2021.[9] He opened the 2022–23 season with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL.[10] On October 25, 2022, the Seattle Thunderbirds traded three conditional WHL draft picks to Edmonton for Prokop.[11]

On November 17, 2023, Prokop became the first openly gay player in the American Hockey League's history, by making his first appearance in a game as a player for the Milwaukee Admirals.[12]

Personal life

During his childhood, playing hockey was his main extracurricular focus.[2] At 12–13 years old, he started to realize that he was a "good hockey player" and decided he wanted to make a career out of it.[2] His older brother, Josh, is also an ice hockey player. The Calgary Hitmen signed Josh in September 2018.[13] They both spent time playing with Calgary, before Luke was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings.[14] His parents own a golf course in Edmonton, Alberta (where Prokop is from) where he frequently visits.[3]

On July 19, 2021, Prokop came out as gay, becoming the first player under contract with an NHL team to do so.[15][16]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2017–18 Calgary Hitmen WHL 14 0 2 2 6 — — — — —
2018–19 Calgary Hitmen WHL 62 1 9 10 12 11 0 4 4 0
2019–20 Calgary Hitmen WHL 59 4 19 23 30 — — — — —
2020–21 Calgary Hitmen WHL 15 2 4 6 14 — — — — —
2021–22 Calgary Hitmen WHL 3 1 1 2 4 — — — — —
2021–22 Edmonton Oil Kings WHL 55 10 23 33 34 19 4 12 16 4
2022–23 Norfolk Admirals ECHL 8 1 0 1 6 — — — — —
2022–23 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 43 4 17 21 20 19 1 4 5 6
2023–24 Atlanta Gladiators ECHL 55 5 23 28 16 — — — — —
2023–24 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 9 0 2 2 6 — — — — —
AHL totals 9 0 2 2 6 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2018 Canada White U17 6th 5 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 5 0 1 1 0

Awards and achievements

Award Year Ref
WHL
Ed Chynoweth Cup 2022, 2023 [17][18]

References

  1. ^ a b Kaplan, Emily (July 19, 2021). "Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop says he is gay, hopes living 'authentic life' helps NHL career". ESPN. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Larkin, Matt (January 17, 2022). "Luke Prokop Q&A: the Before and After of Coming Out as Gay". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Luke Prokop closer than ever to Nashville Predators dream, 2 years after coming out as gay". The Tennessean. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Gilbertson, Wes (December 9, 2020). "Hitmen defenceman Luke Prokop signs first contract with Predators". Calgary Sun. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Calgary Hitmen take defenceman Luke Prokop with seventh-overall pick in 2017 WHL bantam draft". Calgary Herald. May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Medina, Alex (November 15, 2018). "Captain Canada: Luke Prokop". Calgary Hitmen. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  7. ^ "NHL Draft Selections". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. October 8, 2020. p. 5B.
  8. ^ "Predators Sign Luke Prokop to Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract". NHL.com. December 9, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "Predators prospect Prokop traded to Oil Kings". Western Hockey League. October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  10. ^ "Norfolk Admirals aim for first winning season since 2014". Pilotonline.com. October 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  11. ^ "Thunderbirds acquire Luke Prokop's WHL rights from Oil Kings". Sportsnet.ca. October 25, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Milwaukee Admirals' Luke Prokop becomes first openly gay player to appear in AHL game". The Athletic. The New York Times. November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  13. ^ "Silvertips notebook: Everett practicing in Bellingham – The team heads up north this week due to a scheduling conflict at Angel of the Winds Arena". The Daily Herald. Everett, Washington. September 26, 2018.
  14. ^ Medina, Alex (January 22, 2019). "Super Prokop Bros". Calgary Hitmen. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Hernandez, Joe (July 19, 2021). "NHL Prospect Luke Prokop Makes History As League's First Gay Player". NPR. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Prokop reflects on year since coming out as gay". NHL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  17. ^ "Oil Kings capture Ed Chynoweth Cup with shutout victory in Game 6 of 2022 WHL Championship". whl.ca. June 14, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "Thunderbirds claim Ed Chynoweth Cup with Game 5 victory in 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien". whl.ca. May 20, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.