'Heated Rivalry' has brought a lot of buzz to hockey. Is the NHL ready for an openly gay player?

Luke Prokop came out as gay to his mother, and while Nicole Prokop embraced her son's decision she had a very specific concern. “She was worried about my hockey career and how it might impact it,” Prokop recalled. Pioneers such as Jason Collins (NBA) and Carl Nassib (NFL) came out as gay while they were playing.

By STEPHEN WHYNO