Luke Prokop becomes first player on NHL contract to come out as gay

• "From a young age I have dreamed of being an NHL player, and I believe that living my authentic life will allow me to bring my whole self to the rink and improve my chances of fulfilling my dreams."
• "I hope that in sharing who I am I can help other people see that gay people are welcome in the hockey community, as we work to make sure that hockey is truly for everyone."

Why it matters: No NHL player, active or retired, has ever come out, according to ESPN.

Prokop, a defenseman from Edmonton, Alberta, told ESPN he struggled last season as a closeted player.

• "I was lying in bed one night, had just deleted a dating app for the fourth or fifth time, and I was extremely frustrated because I couldn't be my true authentic self," Prokop said.

• "In that moment I said, 'Enough is enough. I'm accepting who I am. I want to live the way I want to, and I want to accept myself as a gay man.'"

The big picture: His announcement follows similar moves by the NFL's Carl Nassib and U.S. National Women's Soccer League player Kumi Yokoyama earlier this year.