Defenseman Luke Prokop, who was selected by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft and is the first openly gay player to be contracted by an NHL team, has signed with the Bakersfield Condors, the Edmonton Oilers' AHL affiliate.
He had reached the end of his 3 year, $2,379,999 contract.
In his time with the Predators organization, Prokop has not played in Nashville. He played eight games with the Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) during the 2022-23 season, scoring one point in eight games.
During the 2023-24 season, he split time between the ECHL and AHL. He played 55 games with the Atlanta Gladiators, scoring 28 points, and played nine games with the Admirals, scoring two points.
His AHL debut in Nov. 2023 marked Prokop becoming the first openly gay AHL player.
This past season, he played 31 games with the Admirals, scoring four points.
While Prokop has yet to make his NHL debut, his journey and message of confidence have resonated across the hockey world. Not only has he made history just playing professional hockey, but he is also helping create an accepting environment for LGBTQ+ individuals in the sport.
Prokop got the opportunity to be the Grand Marshall of the 2025 Milwaukee Pride Parade this summer.
The move into the Oilers' farm system could be a full circle moment as Prokop is from Edmonton and played junior hockey with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He could become the first openly Gay NHL player to play in a game in his hometown.
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