A_AT0 Nashville_NP0 Predators_NN2 prospect_NN1 has_VHZ come_VVN out_AVP as_PRP gay_AJ0 ,_PUN a_AT0 milestone_NN1 moment_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 sport_NN1 of_PRF hockey_NN1 as_PRP the_AT0 first_ORD player_NN1 signed_VVN to_PRP an_AT0 NHL_NP0 contract_NN1 to_TO0 make_VVI that_DT0 declaration_NN1 publicly_AV0 ._SENT Luke_NP0 Prokop_NP0 said_VVD he_PNP was_VBD proud_AJ0 to_TO0 say_VVI he_PNP is_VBZ gay_AJ0 ._SENT The_AT0 19-year-old_AJ0 Canadian_NN1 who_PNQ was_VBD a_AT0 third-round_AJ0 pick_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 2020_CRD draft_NN1 last_ORD fall_NN1 ,_PUN posted_VVD his_DPS announcement_NN1 to_TO0 Twitter_VVI on_PRP Monday_NP0 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP has_VHZ been_VBN quite_AV0 the_AT0 journey_NN1 to_TO0 get_VVI to_PRP this_DT0 point_NN1 in_PRP my_DPS life_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC I_PNP cannot_NN1 be_VBI happier_AJC with_PRP my_DPS decision_NN1 to_TO0 come_VVI out_AVP ,_PUN "_PUQ he_PNP said_VVD ._SENT "_PUQ From_PRP a_AT0 young_AJ0 age_NN1 I_PNP have_VHB dreamed_VVN of_PRF being_VBG an_AT0 NHL_NP0 player_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC I_PNP believe_VVB that_CJT living_VVG my_DPS authentic_AJ0 life_NN1 will_VM0 allow_VVI me_PNP to_TO0 bring_VVI my_DPS whole_AJ0 self_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 rink_NN1 improve_VVI my_DPS chances_NN2 for_PRP filling_VVG my_DPS dreams_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ No_AT0 active_AJ0 NHL_NP0 player_NN1 has_VHZ come_VVN out_AVP as_CJS gay_AJ0 ._SENT Prokop_NP0 said_VVD he_PNP hopes_VVZ his_DPS example_NN1 shows_VVZ that_CJT gay_AJ0 people_NN0 are_VBB welcome_AJ0 in_PRP the_AT0 hockey_NN1 community_NN1 ._SENT Don_NP0 Fehr_NP0 ,_PUN executive_AJ0 director_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 NHL_NP0 Players_NN2 '_POS Association_NN1 ,_PUN said_VVD ,_PUN "_PUQ We_PNP know_VVB the_AT0 NHL_NP0 hockey_NN1 community_NN1 will_VM0 support_VVI Luke_NP0 as_CJS he_PNP strives_VVZ toward_PRP his_DPS goal_NN1 of_PRF playing_VVG in_PRP the_AT0 NHL_NP0 ,_PUN and_CJC we_PNP applaud_VVB the_AT0 example_NN1 he_PNP is_VBZ setting_VVG for_PRP those_DT0 in_PRP the_AT0 game_NN1 of_PRF hockey_NN1 and_CJC beyond_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ This_DT0 comes_VVZ on_PRP the_AT0 heels_NN2 of_PRF Las_NP0 Vegas_NP0 Raiders_NP0 defensive_AJ0 end_NN1 Carl_NP0 Nassib_NP0 becoming_VVG the_AT0 first_ORD active_AJ0 NFL_NP0 player_NN1 to_TO0 come_VVI out_AVP in_PRP June_NP0 ._SENT NHL_NP0 Commissioner_NN1 Gary_NP0 Bettman_NP0 commended_VVD Prokop_NP0 "_PUQ for_PRP sharing_VVG his_DPS truth_NN1 and_CJC for_PRP being_VBG so_AV0 brave_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ "_PUQ I_PNP share_VVB his_DPS hope_NN1 that_CJT these_DT0 announcements_NN2 can_VM0 become_VVI more_AV0 common_AJ0 in_PRP the_AT0 hockey_NN1 community_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Bettman_NP0 said_VVD n_XX0 a_AT0 statement_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ LGBTQ_NP0 players_NN2 ,_PUN coaches_NN2 and_CJC staff_NN0 can_VM0 only_AV0 perform_VVI at_PRP their_DPS absolute_AJ0 best_AJS if_CJS they_PNP live_VVB their_DPS lives_NN2 as_PRP their_DPS full_AJ0 and_CJC true_AJ0 selves_NN2 ._SENT We_PNP do_VDB not_XX0 take_VVI the_AT0 meaning_NN1 and_CJC importance_NN1 of_PRF this_DT0 announcement_NN1 lightly_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 Predators_NN2 said_VVD in_PRP a_AT0 statement_NN1 the_AT0 club_NN1 is_VBZ "_PUQ proud_AJ0 of_PRF Luke_NP0 for_PRP the_AT0 courage_NN1 he_PNP is_VBZ displaying_VVG in_PRP coming_VVG out_AVP today_AV0 ,_PUN and_CJC we_PNP will_VM0 support_VVI him_PNP unequivocally_AV0 in_PRP the_AT0 days_NN2 ,_PUN weeks_NN2 and_CJC years_NN2 to_TO0 come_VVI as_CJS he_PNP continues_VVZ to_TO0 develop_VVI as_PRP a_AT0 prospect_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ A_AT0 6-foot-4_CRD ,_PUN 218-pound_AJ0 defenseman_NN1 ,_PUN Prokop_NP0 could_VM0 be_VBI a_AT0 part_NN1 of_PRF Nashville_NP0 's_POS youth_NN1 movement_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 coming_AJ0 years_NN2 ._SENT Owner_NN1 Harris_NP0 Turner_NP0 and_CJC president_NN1 Jon_NP0 Greenberg_NP0 of_PRF the_AT0 American_AJ0 Hockey_NN1 League_NN1 's_POS Milwaukee_NP0 Admirals_NN2 ,_PUN Nashville_NP0 's_POS top_AJ0 minor_AJ0 league_NN1 affiliate_NN1 ,_PUN lauded_VVD Prokop_NP0 for_PRP his_DPS decision_NN1 ._SENT Prokop_NP0 is_VBZ from_PRP Edmonton_NP0 ,_PUN Alberta_NP0 ._SENT He_PNP played_VVD parts_NN2 of_PRF the_AT0 past_AJ0 four_CRD seasons_NN2 with_PRP Calgary_NP0 in_PRP the_AT0 Western_AJ0 Hockey_NN1 League_NN1 ._SENT 
