(Adds dropped word in paragraph 12)By Nicole FernandesJuly 10 : When Luke Prokop became the first openly gay player under contract with an NHL team five years ago, he set off on a trailblazing path that thrust him into the spotlight and brought the responsibility of representing and helping his community.Today, he is still shouldering much of that weight alone. Since coming out publicly at 19 years old, Prokop, who was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2020, has been bombarded with questions about inclusivity issues in ice hockey. He also lends an ear to those seeking guidance whenever he can. "I guess in terms of dealing with those issues, it's kind of lonely because I am the only one that a lot of people will come and speak to about it," Prokop, now 24, told Reuters. "Because no one