The National Hockey League (NHL) evolved from a mono-ethnic and primarily Canadian professional athletic league to span North America. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The distribution of ethnic groups has been gradually changing since the inception of the NHL. [6] The league consists of a variety of players from varying nationalities and diverse backgrounds. Once known as a league riddled with racism and exclusiveness, the NHL has made some positive steps toward a more diverse and inclusive institution. [7]
The NHL began its expansion of player nationalities in the 1970s when players hailed from the United States, Sweden, and Finland. [8] The share of Canadians in the league dropped to 75% by the 1980s and is now slightly less than 50%. [8] In 2011, the NHL was composed of 93% of players who identified as white, with the remaining 7% identifying as varying ethnicities. [9] [ needs update ]
A number of ice hockey leagues for players of African descent formed in Canada as early as the late-19th century. The Coloured Hockey League was an all-black ice hockey league established in 1895. Operating across the Maritime provinces of Canada, the league operated for several decades until 1930.
Although other minor ice hockey leagues saw integration in the early 20th century (including the Quebec Senior Hockey League), the major league NHL did not see its first non-white player until November 16, 1926, with Indigenous Native American Taffy Abel broke the NHL colour barrier that day with the New York Rangers. [10]
On March 13, 1948 Larry Kwong was an Asian playing with the New York Rangers. [11] Born in Vernon, British Columbia, Kwong was a Chinese Canadian of Cantonese descent. [12] In 1953, Fred Sasakamoose was the first Cree NHL player, and the first Canadian indigenous player in the NHL, debuting with the Chicago Black Hawks. On January 18, 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first Black Canadian to play in the NHL. Playing with the Boston Bruins, he was also the first NHL player of African descent. [13] Val James was the first African American player to play in the NHL, called up by the Buffalo Sabres in 1982. [14] His stints with the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs were short-lived and he eventually retired in 1987 due to injury. [14] The number of black NHL players was 26 by the end of the 20th century and sat at 32 in 2016. [9]
In the 1970's there were zero African-American players in the NHL. That number rose to 26 in the 1980s and rose slightly to 32 in the 1990s. Though seemingly minute, it was a significant change in the racial demographic of the NHL at the time.
Herb Carnegie was the first black player to play on ice in a professional hockey game. Val (Valmore) James, the first U.S.-born African American hockey player called up by the Buffalo Sabres in 1982, refrained from openly discussing his experiences with racism in the league until three decades after retiring from the sport.
The depth of his ordeal was so profound that he reported being unable to watch hockey for a full decade without being haunted by memories of discrimination in the league. [14] James's tumultuous journey serves as a poignant illustration of how societal racism can infiltrate sports cultures.
"When I started skating, I set out to be a hockey player, not a black hockey player,” he wrote. “However, the two concepts quickly became intertwined. And not by choice. From early on, there were some people who were determined to prove that being black and being a hockey player were mutually exclusive." [15]
Further insights into James's life and experiences can be found in the autobiography Black Ice: The Val James Story , authored by Valmore James and John Gallagher. [16] [15]
In addition to black and white players, other races and ethnicities represented in the NHL include players of Asian, Latino, and Middle Eastern descent.
= NHL All-Star [lower-alpha 1] · | = NHL All-Star [lower-alpha 1] and NHL All-Star team · | = Hall of Famers |
These are the top-ten players of Asian descent by career points, goals, and assists. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; G/G = Goals per game; A/G = Assists per game
|
|
|
These are the top-ten players of Asian descent, by career points, goals, and assists, when counting only their production with a specific franchise. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; G/G = Goals per game; A/G = Assists per game
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2021) |
Nat. | Name | Birthplace | Pos | Seasons | Teams Played | Ethnicity | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Armstrong | Skead, Ontario | RW | 1949–1971 | TOR | Biracial Ojibwe-Canadian | [40] | |
Bryan Trottier | Val Marie, Saskatchewan | C | 1975–1994 | NYI, PIT | Biracial Cree-Canadian | [41] | |
Ted Nolan | Garden River, Ontario | LW | 1981–1986 | DET, PIT | Ojibwe-Canadian | [42] | |
Grant Fuhr | Spruce Grove, Alberta | G | 1981–2000 | EDM, TOR, BUF, LAK, STL, CGY | Biracial Cree and Afro-Canadian | [43] | |
Everett Sanipass | Elsipogtog First Nation, New Brunswick | LW | 1986–1991 | CHI, QUE | Mi'kmaq | [44] | |
Craig Berube | Calahoo, Alberta | LW | 1986–2003 | PHI, TOR, CGY, WSH, NYI | Biracial Cree-Canadian | [45] | |
Theoren Fleury | Oxbow, Saskatchewan | RW | 1988–2003 | CAL, NYR | Métis Canadian | [46] | |
Gino Odjick | Maniwaki, Québec | LW | 1990–2002 | MTL, NYI, VAN, PHI | Biracial Algonquian-Canadian | [47] | |
Blair Atcheynum | Estevan, Saskatchewan | RW | 1992–2001 | OTT, NSH, STL, CHI | Cree descent | [40] | |
Arron Asham | Portage la Prairie, Manitoba | RW | 1998–2014 | MTL, NYI, NJD, PHI, PIT, NYR | Métis Canadian | [40] | |
Jordin Tootoo | Churchill, Manitoba | RW | 2003–2017 | NSH, NJD, DET, CHI | Inuit | [48] | |
René Bourque | Lac La Biche, Alberta | LW | 2005–2017 | MTL, CAL, CLB, CHI | Métis Canadian | [49] | |
Carey Price | Vancouver, British Columbia | G | 2007–present | MTL | Biracial Dakelh-Canadian | [50] | |
T. J. Oshie | Mount Vernon, Washington | RW | 2008–present | STL, WSH | Biracial Ojibwe-American | [51] | |
Michael Ferland | Swan River, Manitoba | LW | 2014–2020 | CAR, CAL, VAN | Cree descent | [52] | |
Brandon Montour | Ohsweken, Ontario | D | 2016–present | ANA, BUF, FLO | Mohawk descent | [53] | |
Henry Maracle | Ayr, Ontario | LW | 1930-31 | NYR | Mohawk descent | [54] | |
Ethan Bear | Regina, Saskatchewan | D | 2018–present | EDM, CAR, VAN | Cree descent | [55] | |
Zach Whitecloud | Brandon, Manitoba | D | 2018–present | VGK | Dakota-Canadian | [53] | |
Garrett Pilon | Mineola, New York | C | 2021–present | WSH | Métis American | [56] | |
Rich Pilon | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | D | 1989-2002 | NYI, NYR, STL | Métis descent | [57] | |
Fred Sasakamoose | Debden, Saskatchewan | C | 1954 | CHI | Cree | [58] | |
Reggie Leach | Riverton, Manitoba | RW | 1971-1983 | BOS, CGS, PHI, DET | Ojibwe | [59] | |
Jamie Leach | Winnipeg, Manitoba | RW | 1990-1994 | PIT, HAR, FLO | Ojibwe descent | [60] | |
Stan Jonathan | Ohsweken, Ontario | LW | 1976-1983 | BOS, PIT | Tuscarora | [61] | |
Jonathan Cheechoo | Moose Factory, Ontario | RW | 2003-2010 | SJS, OTT | Cree | [62] | |
Dwight King | Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan | LW | 2011-2017 | LAK, MTL | Métis descent | [63] | |
Connor Dewar | The Pas, Manitoba | C | 2022-Present | MIN, TOR | Métis descent | [64] | |
D.J. King | Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan | C | 2007-2012 | STL, WSH | Métis descent | [63] | |
Calen Addison | Brandon, Manitoba | D | 2021-Present | MIN | Métis descent | [65] | |
Travis Hamonic | St. Malo, Manitoba | D | 2011-Present | NYI, CGY, VAN, OTT | Métis descent | [66] | |
Brady Keeper | Cross Lake, Manitoba | D | 2019-Present | FLO | Cree | [67] | |
Michael McNiven | Winnipeg, Manitoba | G | 2022 | MTL | Métis descent | [68] | |
Jim Neilson | Big River, Saskatchewan | D | 1963-1979 | NYR, CGS, CLE | Cree | [69] | |
Ted Hodgson | Hobbema, Alberta | RW | 1967 | BOS | Cree | [70] | |
Harry York | Ponoka, Alberta | C | 1997-2000 | STL, NYR, PIT, VAN | Cree | [71] | |
Scott Daniels | Prince Albert, Saskatchewan | LW | 1993-1999 | HFD, PHI, NJD | Cree | [72] | |
Dale McCourt | Falconbridge, Ontario | C | 1978-1984 | DET, BUF, TOR | Cree | [73] | |
Nat. | Name | Birthplace | Pos | Seasons | Teams Played | Ethnicity | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scott Gomez | Anchorage, Alaska | C | 1999–2016 | NJ, NYR, MTL | Colombian Mexican American | [74] | |
Bill Guerin | Worcester, Massachusetts | RW | 1991–2010 | NJD, EDM, BOS, DAL, STL SJ, NYI, PIT | Nicaraguan American | [75] | |
Auston Matthews | San Ramon, California | C | 2016–present | TOR | Half Mexican American | [76] | |
Al Montoya | Chicago, Illinois | G | 2006–2018 | NYI, MTL, FLA, WIN | Cuban American | [77] | |
Matt Nieto | Long Beach, California | LW | 2013–present | COL, SJ | Mexican American | [78] | |
Max Pacioretty | New Canaan, Connecticut | LW | 2008–present | MTL, VGK, CAR | Half Mexican American | [79] | |
Bryce Salvador | Brandon, Manitoba | D | 2001–2015 | STL, NJD | Half Afro-Brazilian Half Ukrainian | ||
Raffi Torres | Toronto, Ontario | LW | 2001–2016 | EDM, SJ, PHO | Half Mexican Canadian Half Peruvian (of Italian, Greek, and Serbian ancestry) | [80] | |
Nat. | Name | Birthplace | Pos | Seasons | Teams Played | Ethnicity | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Justin Abdelkader | Muskegon, Michigan | LW | 2008–2021 | DET | Jordanian-American | [81] | |
Ramzi Abid | Montreal, Québec | LW | 2000–2014 | PHO, PIT, ATL | Lebanese-Canadian | [82] | |
/ | Nick Cicek | Winnipeg, Manitoba | D | 2022–present | SJS | Turkish-Canadian | |
John Hanna | Sydney, Nova Scotia | D | 1958–1968 | NYR, MTL | Lebanese-Canadian | [83] | |
Ed Hatoum | Beirut, Lebanon | RW | 1968–1971 | DET, VAN | Lebanese | [84] | |
Nazem Kadri | London, Ontario | C | 2010–present | TOR, COL, CGY | Lebanese-Canadian | [85] | |
Alain Nasreddine | Montreal, Québec | D | 1995–2010 | NYI, MTL, PIT | Biracial Lebanese-Canadian | [86] | |
Brandon Saad | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | LW | 2011–present | CHI, CBJ, COL, STL | Syrian American | [87] | |
Mika Zibanejad | Huddinge, Sweden | C | 2010–present | OTT, NYR | Biracial Iranian-Finnish | [88] |
The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in North America consisting of 32 teams – 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered to be the top-ranked professional ice hockey league in the world, with players from 17 countries as of the 2023–24 season. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also views the Stanley Cup as one of the "most important championships available to the sport". The NHL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the Hockey Night in Canada brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its history in various platforms. The brand is owned by the CBC and was exclusively used by CBC Sports through the end of the 2013–14 NHL season.
Jordin John Kudluk Tootoo is a Canadian former professional hockey player, who played for the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks. Of Inuit, Ukrainian and English descent, he is the first Inuk player to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). Tootoo was widely regarded as one of the NHL's best agitators and was able to annoy, fight, and outplay other players to help his team win. At the end of the 2016–17 NHL season, Tootoo had accumulated 65 goals, 96 assists and 1010 PIMs in 723 career NHL games since entering the league in 2003.
The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA) is an Aboriginal publisher in Canada. AMMSA was established in 1983 under the Alberta Societies Act and launched its first publication in March 1983 – simply titled AMMSA. The name of this publication was later changed to Windspeaker in March 1986.
Darcy Tucker is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played most of his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. A sixth round draft choice, Tucker began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens. Throughout his NHL career he also played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche. Tucker was born in Castor, Alberta, but grew up in Endiang, Alberta. Tucker is of Métis descent.
Frederick Sasakamoose, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was one of the first Canadian Indigenous players in the National Hockey League, and the first First Nations player with treaty status. He played 11 games with the Chicago Black Hawks during the 1953–54 season; the rest of his career, which lasted from 1953 to 1960, was spent in various minor leagues. After his playing career, Sasakamoose became involved in Indigenous affairs, and served as chief of the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation for a period. He was later recognized for his work, including being named a member of the Order of Canada.
Vernon "Vern" Fiddler is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for the Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils.
Ronald Elmer "Chief" Delorme is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the chief amateur scout for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Delorme played in the NHL for the Colorado Rockies and the Vancouver Canucks, and in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Denver Spurs/Ottawa Civics.
Rocky Lee Thompson is a Canadian former ice hockey right wing, who is currently an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. He was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. This Cree forward/defenseman was born in Calgary, Alberta and raised in Whitecourt, Alberta. Along with hockey, he showed promise in boxing as a teenager, winning gold in the 1993 North American Indigenous Games as well as in provincial Golden Gloves tournament championships in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Bradley Leeb is a Canadian Cree First Nations former professional ice hockey player. He played 5 games in the NHL for the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs and spent the bulk of his professional career in the minor American Hockey League, as well as several years playing in Germany and the United Kingdom, before retiring in 2013.
Lawrence Kwong was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who was the first player of Asian descent in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing a short shift at the end of the third period. He was the NHL's first player who was neither white, nor Aboriginal North American, debuting ten years before Willie O'Ree. Although denied much playing time in the NHL, Kwong was a top player in senior hockey leagues outside the NHL throughout his entire career and battled the likes of Jean Beliveau for the scoring race in Quebec.
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) is a group of Canadian specialty television channels based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The channels broadcast programming produced by or highlighting Indigenous peoples in Canada, including arts, cultural, documentary, entertainment, and news and current affairs programming.
CFWE is a radio network based in Edmonton, Alberta. Owned by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society, it broadcasts programming targeting northern Alberta's First Nations communities, including mainstream country music, and specialty shows featuring Indigenous music or presented in native languages such as Cree and Dene.
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is the world's largest Indigenous film and media arts festival, held annually in Toronto. The festival focuses on the film, video, radio, and new media work of Indigenous, Aboriginal and First Peoples from around the world. The festival includes screenings, parties, panel discussions, and cultural events.
Over the course of centuries, many Indigenous Canadians have played a critical role in shaping the history of Canada. From art and music, to law and government, to sports and war; Indigenous customs and culture have had a strong influences on defining Canadian culture. The Indspire Awards are the annual awards presented by Indspire, formerly the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. The awards were first established in 1993 in conjunction with the United Nations declaring the 1990s "International Decade of the World's Indigenous peoples". June 21 is Canada's National Aboriginal Day, in recognition of the cultural contributions made by Canada's indigenous population. The day was first celebrated in 1996 following Governor General of Canada Roméo LeBlanc's proclamation.
Ethan Bear is a Cree Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the fifth round, 124th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He represents Canada internationally, and won the gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.
The Tom Longboat Awards were established in 1951 to recognize Aboriginal athletes "for their outstanding contributions to sport in Canada" and continues "to honour Indigenous athletes across Canada" annually. As a program of the Aboriginal Sport Circle, the awards provide a forum for acknowledging top male and female athletes both at the regional and national levels.
Zach Whitecloud is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Whitecloud went undrafted while playing for Bemidji State University. As a college free agent, he signed with the Golden Knights in 2018.
CIWE-FM is a radio station in Edmonton, Alberta. Owned by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA), it broadcasts a freeform format targeting Central Alberta's First Nations communities.
{{cite book}}
: |website=
ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)...predecessor was Montreal's Ramzi Abid, a left-winger who played several seasons before heading to Europe in 2007.