10/26/23 Dermott Speaks to the Media Regarding Pride Night & Stance on Using Pride Tape

obviously we're all here based on the stand you took and I just wanted to ask first and foremost why you did what you did and what it meant to you to see your teammates and the league respond in the way they did yeah for sure I'd like to start off by saying you know that I wouldn't have have had the confidence to do something like this unless I had such a good group of people behind me um you know from the top to bottom um from the general managers down to players um equipment managers and everyone in between um everyone was right behind me from from the getg go here and that uh that couldn't have given me the confidence to do this anymore um so um yeah you know um got some tight connections with someone um who's still in the closet and uh if I break it down to my soul that's probably why uh you know I have the confidence to really take that first step um because it beat so home so close to home um for me um and then the next step is you know that I still think we're we're really lagging behind in the hockey Community um and showing our support for this community so um you know seeing seeing our voice taken away a little bit um kind of hurt me and uh you know it uh with the people close to me giv me the confidence to take that first step I felt uh comfortable enough doing it and I was going to deal with the consequences um and how how everything kind of unfolded is is better than I ever expected um it to unfold you know I I don't mean I don't think the War is Over by any means I still think we got a lot of work to do but um I think just just being able to show a little bit of support while while we're out there on the big screen um there's God knows how many people watching our games um I think that's really important to be a to uh to have something that's really not affecting the game much um noticeable and visible out there with those unknowns did you expect the league to resend its ban on Pride tape what were your expectations did you have any expectations and what was your reaction when they did yeah not really I was just going to kind of take it by uh take the storm by by uh you know one step at a time um really wasn't sure how everything was going to unfold um whe it was going to get fined or or whatever um but you know I I kind of broke down the scenario in my head and was weighing weighing the different options and if I got fined I got fined I think I would have would have done more positive than uh whatever $5,000 fine or whatever I had to pay um you know I really think that uh us being in the Limelight you got to you got to take a stand and show that show you know these these people really matter and if and if we get to if we have our our uh our ability to show that taken away then what are we really doing for that community and what what are they seeing what what message is that being sent um and uh you know I'm just happy that this this was able to unfold in a positive way and uh we can now move forward and and take the next step against uh against this inequality last one for me Pride night tomorrow um do you have anything planned and and what does it mean that the team collectively celebrates Pride night and and what we're going to see tomorrow night at mullet of course kind of like I said before you know this uh this organization's really supported me from day one and um you know talking to our our uptop uh group um you know they they were behind me and and uh you know really want me to understand that there is all that support from this organization and I've uh spent numerous hours the last uh last week or so chatting with them about um a game plan that we can take forward and they're 100% on board um if not even a step ahead of me with h with the stuff they got planned going so you know it's it's really happy and comfortable and comforting um to have your organization really caring about this as well and not just following your steps you know they're they're going to have a great event set up for us um the next game here and uh just excited to see how it unfolds and the support that we get do you anticipate a number of your teammates maybe wearing or showing the The Pride theme tape tomorrow night uh not sure you know um I think that's the beauty about uh about how the rules kind of been changed you know everyone can choose to support if they'd like um you know if you don't if you're not comfortable supporting that's completely fine we'll we'll accept you and uh and not single you out at all but I think um I think the positive reason is the thing is now that uh you know if you want to go out of your way and support it and go find some tape or if you know you won't be forced to but um I think it'll mean that much more that guys are now going out of their way to do it you you were probably inundated with messages in the past week or so what's the most meaningful or impactful message or note maybe you received from somebody if you're if you're able to share something along those lines yeah um I think I was saying to uh Chris Johnson the other day you know I you take a two-minute read through my DMs and have you in tears pretty quick um you know not just for someone who who kind of it hits home closer for me um I think anyone if you read read some of the stories that I'm getting sent my way um you know it can really open up your heart and open up your your view as to how important something like this actually was you know you as a straight male I really don't understand how much impact I can have or how much impact I did have um you just try to understand as much as you can and talking to the people and seeing these messages kind of gives you a better idea but still still you know you really don't know um how much of an impact is having so the message that I did get you know it uh really makes you feel um happy that you were able to kind of take this step and support this community that if you think they need it if you don't think they need it I'll send you screenshots and my DMs and you I think you'll uh you'll agree pretty quick that um this this meant something to a lot of people you didn't advertise what you're going to do on social media but yet it caught on what kind of volumes does that speak for you to see that yeah I really wasn't sure on how fast uh it would blow up how much it would blow up um but yeah you know I think like I was just saying it kind of shows how how meaningful This was um just a couple strips of on a a table on my stick um you know had thousands of DMS pouring into my into my uh inbox you know telling me how much it meant to them um from all sorts of different people um you know gay straight uh whatever um you know I was getting messages from every every different type of person and um that really beats home as well you know it's it's parents that are reaching out to me saying that they're they're more comfortable taking their child to the hockey rank now um so it's not just the people who are part of this community you know it's their close friends their close family um that it's also impacting so that uh kind of come back to your question that's how it uh you know really shows me how important something like this was you said earlier that the war is not over I just wanted to know what will you do to continue foring your support yeah you know I'm trying to make a game plan with uh with our organization here um and trying to you know just kind of take the best step forward um you know I really wasn't expecting the rule to be changed so that was already on the back of my mind how I would kind of take my next step um and you know you don't want to break rules every game but um you know kind of show my support other ways so that that was definitely in the back of my head going forward that we would um have a next step and uh work towards a plan there and I've still just kind of been talking with my GMS um and coming with coming up with the best best idea going forward and that's kind of starting with the pride night next game so what were the conversations like in the room with your teammates nothing but support um you know I had guys coming up to me uh just telling telling me how much it meant to them and if that sometimes uh some guys had some close family kind of like I do that uh was impacted by this and they were getting messages from them so they were kind of passing along passing along that love um but yeah all support you know it's a lot of guys kind of coming up giving me a top on the shoulder um and stuff like that that just makes you feel better about uh kind of putting yourself on the line um you know it's definitely anxiety-provoking kind of putting your career um in the Forefront here um but yeah I had nothing but Comfort coming from my teammates which was so important to me we'll talk about that a little too because I know it's been challenging couple years right last year you come here new place one your deal you know could have been easy I think for a lot of people in your shoes to say well I need to stay quiet right now and let somebody else handle this why was it why did it need to be you um yeah you know there's some guys speaking up in the media um saying that they weren't uh really happy with the the world change and stuff like that and I think that was the first step um but yeah for me you know just had a baby um got another one coming in a couple months you know you you really kind of put your life into perspective when stuff like that happens um and you know my close family that's tied to the community it uh it really just gets you thinking you know you want to be the best example as you can be um and you know with the amount of young kids that are watching the NHL players on a nightly basis on the TV you know I think uh it's really important for us to portray positive messages in the community and um just super happy that we're back to being able to do that