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Black players in ice hockey facts for kids

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The history of black players in North American ice hockey goes back a long way, to the late 1800s. One of the first black ice hockey stars was Herb Carnegie during the 1930s. Later, Willie O'Ree made history by becoming the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins in 1958.

Coloured Hockey League

The Coloured Hockey League started in Nova Scotia in 1895. It was created by black Baptist churches to encourage men to join and stay involved. Teams came from places like Halifax, Africville, Dartmouth, and Charlottetown. These games were by invitation, and the league was groundbreaking. They were the first league to let the goaltender drop to the ice to stop the puck.

Early Players in Ontario

In the early 1900s, it was hard to create an all-black league in Ontario because the area was so big. Some of the first black players in Ontario included Hipple Galloway and Fred Kelly. Galloway played for the Woodstock team in 1899.

In 1916, Fred (Bud) Kelly played for the 118 Battalion team in the Ontario Hockey League. He was even scouted by the Toronto St. Pats, but they never officially contacted him. One of the first all-black teams in Ontario was the Orioles from St. Catharines, who played in the 1930s.

Herb Carnegie began his hockey career in 1938 with the Toronto Young Rangers. He later played for the Buffalo Ankerites, a team in mining towns in northern Ontario and Quebec. While with the Ankerites, Carnegie was part of the "Black Aces" line. His brother, Ossie Carnegie, and Manny McIntyre were the other members. They were known for their amazing talent and skill, as well as their skin color. Herb was the center, Ossie was the right wing, and McIntyre was the left wing. Herb was even named the most valuable player in the semi-professional Quebec Provincial League three times in a row, from 1946 to 1948.

In 1948, Carnegie had a tryout with the New York Rangers. They offered him a contract to play in their minor league system. However, he was earning more money in the Quebec league and turned down the offers.

World Hockey Association (WHA)

  • Alton White played for several teams in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He is known for being the second player of African descent, after Willie O'Ree, to play on a major professional ice hockey team. White was also the first black hockey player to score 20 goals in one season. He did this for the Los Angeles Sharks in the 1972–73 season. In the same season, he became the first black player to score a hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a major professional game.
  • Tony McKegney was raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. When he was 20, Tony McKegney signed a contract with the WHA's Birmingham Bulls. However, the team owner changed his mind about the deal after some fans threatened to boycott the team because they had added a black player. In the NHL, McKegney went on to score over 300 career goals, including 40 goals in the 1987–88 season. His total of 78 points that season was the highest ever for a black player until Jarome Iginla broke the record in 2001–02.

National Hockey League (NHL)

Main article: List of black NHL players

The NHL doesn't officially track the percentages of different ethnic groups in the league. However, other groups have collected this information. According to one article, about 97% of the NHL is white, and the other 3% are from different backgrounds. Out of that 3%, 26 players are black. Twenty of these black players are from Canada, and six are from the United States. Overall, the NHL is made up of players from many countries, with Canadians making up the largest group. Some notable black players include Dustin Byfuglien, Kyle Okposo, and Joel Ward.

A Sports Illustrated article in 1999 suggested that the increase in black NHL players was partly due to big changes in Canada's population. Canada provides the most players to the league. In 1971, there were only about 34,000 black people in Canada. But 25 years later, after many people moved from Caribbean countries, Canada had over 573,000 black people.

In 2019, the NHL created a Black History Month mobile museum. This museum is part of the "Hockey is For Everyone" campaign. It celebrates Black History Month and honors the black players who have played in the NHL. The museum toured eight cities in February, ending its journey outside the Canadian embassy in Washington D.C..

Players

Willie O'Ree is often called the "Jackie Robinson of ice hockey." He was the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was called up to the Boston Bruins to replace an injured player. O'Ree made his NHL debut on January 18, 1958, against the Montreal Canadiens. This made him the first black player in the league's history. O'Ree is still very involved with the NHL. He helps promote the league's Diversity Program to young and adult hockey players across North America.

Other Firsts

  • Mike Marson is a Black Canadian left winger. He was the first black player to be drafted in an NHL Entry Draft in 1974. He became the second black Canadian to play in the NHL. He played five seasons for the Washington Capitals and the Los Angeles Kings. Mike Marson and Bill Riley (the third black player in the NHL) were also the first two black players to play in an NHL game together. They both played for the Capitals.
  • Tony McKegney is a black Canadian. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1979. He played in the NHL from 1979 to 1991 for several teams. He was the first black player to score 40 goals in a season. He played 912 regular season games, scoring 320 goals and 319 assists.
  • Grant Fuhr is a Black Canadian goaltender. He made his NHL debut in the 1981–82 season. He was the first black goalie in the NHL. He later became the first black player to win the Stanley Cup in 1984. After he retired in 2003, he became the first black player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
  • Val James is an African American defenceman. He was the first American-born African American to play in the NHL. He debuted with the Buffalo Sabres during the 1981–82 season.
  • Dirk Graham is a Black Canadian right winger. He was the first black player to be named team captain, leading the Chicago Blackhawks from 1989 to 1995. Graham was also the first black player to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the best defensive forward in 1990–91. He was also the first black head coach, coaching the Blackhawks in the 1998–99 season.
  • Mike Grier is an African American right winger. He was born in Detroit, Michigan. He became the first African American player born and trained in the United States to play in the NHL. He made his NHL debut in the 1996–97 season. He later became the first black general manager in the NHL, hired by the San Jose Sharks before the 2022–23 season.
  • Jarome Iginla is a Black Canadian right winger. He is the Calgary Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played. Iginla is the first black NHL player to win the Art Ross Trophy (for leading point scorer) and the first to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (for leading goal scorer), both in 2002. As a member of the Canadian men's national hockey team in the 2002 Winter Olympics, he became the first black man to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
  • Johnny Oduya is an African Swedish defenceman. His father was from Kenya. He became the first European-trained player of African descent to play in the NHL. He made his NHL debut in the 2006–07 season.
  • P. K. Subban is a Black Canadian defenceman. His father moved to Canada from Jamaica. He was the first black player to win the award for the league's best defenceman, the James Norris Memorial Trophy, in 2013.
  • Wayne Simmonds is a Black Canadian right winger. He was the first black player to be awarded the NHL All-Star Game MVP in 2017.
  • Claude Vilgrain is a Haitian-born Canadian hockey player. He played 89 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers. He also played for Team Canada in the 1988 Olympics.
  • Quinton Byfield set a record for being the highest-ever selected black player in the NHL Entry Draft. He was picked by the Los Angeles Kings at 2nd overall in the 2020 Draft.

Management

In July 2022, the San Jose Sharks hired Mike Grier as their general manager. This made him the first African American to serve as a general manager in the NHL.

Officiating

On April 3, 2001, Jay Sharrers made NHL history as the first black referee to officiate an NHL game. He worked his first game when the Philadelphia Flyers played the Florida Panthers.

Racial Incidents in the NHL

When Willie O'Ree joined the National Hockey League in 1958, he became the first player of African descent. During his short career of 45 games, O'Ree faced racism from some fans and players. He remembered that in the minor leagues, racism was mostly quiet. But in the NHL, he faced hurtful remarks and actions. O'Ree said that the racism did not affect his playing. He found that if fans were against him because of his skin color, he would just ignore it and focus on playing his best. This helped Willie O'Ree become known as the "Jackie Robinson" of hockey.

When O'Ree first entered the league, the media and the league didn't really recognize that he had broken the color barrier. Some newspapers even got his name wrong. O'Ree himself said he didn't fully realize the importance of the moment back then. When Val James became the first African American in the NHL in 1981, the league also didn't make any special announcement.

Today, O'Ree works as the NHL Diversity Ambassador. He helps increase participation in hockey for people of all races. He hosts programs like "learn to skate" clinics and youth hockey development clinics for children from different backgrounds. The main goal is to make hockey more diverse and give children a chance to try the sport. These clinics also talk about race in the hockey community. O'Ree's personal goal is to tell younger children, "Your race can't keep you from succeeding," and share how he dealt with racism during his career.

Val James was the first American-born black player in the NHL. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. James remembers fans yelling racial slurs at him and players committing fouls against him because of his skin color. He said that the racism he faced was so hard that he couldn't watch another hockey game for ten years.

Modern-day racial incidents in the NHL often involve players and fans. For example, Washington Capitals player Devante Smith-Pelly recalled fans yelling "Basketball!" at him. Smith-Pelly understood this as a racist taunt, suggesting he should play basketball because many NBA players are African American. He called it "just ignorant people being ignorant."

Other racist incidents have happened during games. While playing for the Philadelphia Flyers, a fan threw a banana at Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds believes the NHL should have a "zero-tolerance policy." This would mean any racist remarks or actions would lead to immediate removal from the arena and a ban from future games.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman supports his players' wishes for a zero-tolerance policy against racism. He stated, "Even if it's only one incident it is one too many." The NHL has taken more action against racist events in recent years. They have even banned fans from arenas. Commissioner Bettman has also dedicated February to be "Hockey is for Everyone Month." This event starts on February 1, the same day as Black History Month. Its goal is to raise awareness about equality throughout the league. Players use special "pride tape" on their sticks to show support for equality, respect, and inclusion. Many programs also take place across the country to include players with disabilities. The event is promoted on social media with the hashtag #HockeyIsForEveryone.

Even with these actions, some players, like Smith-Pelly and Evander Kane of the San Jose Sharks, believe there is still a big issue. They think that racism in the NHL will continue because similar incidents happened 60 years ago and still happen today. However, O'Ree is hopeful for the future of hockey's diversity. He has said, "There's more kids of color playing hockey today than ever before, and more girls." Many players are also optimistic that the NHL community is coming together to protect its players from racist incidents.

International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)

  • On May 11, 2003, Anson Carter scored a goal against Sweden's Mikael Tellqvist. This goal helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2003 IIHF Men's World Hockey Championships.
  • In 2008, Angela James became the first black woman inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. She also scored 11 goals during the 1990 Women's World Hockey Championships, a record that still stands. James has won four world championship gold medals and other medals with Canada's National Women's Team.

Women's Hockey

Angela James played in the Central Ontario Women's Hockey League, which later became the National Women's Hockey League and Canadian Women's Hockey League. She played for Team Canada internationally. She scored 34 points (22 goals, 12 assists) in 20 games over four women's world championships. This included 11 goals in five games in the first IIHF World Women's Championships in Ottawa in 1990. In 2008, she, along with Cammi Granato (USA) and Geraldine Heaney (CAN), became the first women to be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hockey Hall of Fame. James is the daughter of a black father and a white mother. She is the only Black Canadian to captain a national hockey team.

Career Stats

Franchise Career

These tables show the top-ten point, goal, and assist scorers for specific teams. The numbers are updated after each 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; * = Active player; Bold = Currently playing

NHL Career

These tables show the top-ten point, goal, and assist scorers in NHL history. The numbers are updated after each 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; * = Active player

Historic Firsts

  • First black player to sign an NHL contract: Art Dorrington (August 1950)
  • First black player to sign a contract with an NHL team: John Utendale (1955)
  • First black player in an NHL game: Willie O'Ree (January 18, 1958)
  • First black head coach in the NCAA: Ed Wright, Buffalo Bulls (1970–71)
  • First black player to score more than 20 goals in a single season: Alton White, Los Angeles Sharks, WHA, 1972–73 season
  • First black player to get more than 100 PIM (penalty minutes) in an NHL season: Bill Riley (1976–77)
  • First black player to score more than 20 goals in a single NHL season: Tony McKegney (1979–80)
  • First black goalie in the NHL: Grant Fuhr (1981–82)
  • First black player to score more than 100 goals in the NHL: Tony McKegney (1982–83)
  • First black player to win the Stanley Cup: Grant Fuhr (1983–84)
  • First black player to get more than 500 NHL Points: Tony McKegney (1987–88)
  • First black player to get more than 200 NHL Wins: Grant Fuhr (1988–89)
  • First black player to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy: Dirk Graham (1990–91)
  • First black player to win the William M. Jennings: Grant Fuhr (1993–94)
  • First black player to get more than 200 PIM in an NHL season: Donald Brashear (1995–96)
  • First black player to earn 20 shutouts (games where the goalie allows no goals): Grant Fuhr (1996–97)
  • First black player to get more than 1,000 PIM in the NHL: Donald Brashear (1997–98)
  • First black head coach in the NHL: Dirk Graham (1998–99 Chicago Blackhawks)
  • First black player to get more than 400 NHL Wins: Grant Fuhr (1999–00)
  • First black player to score more than 50 goals in a single NHL season: Jarome Iginla (2001–02)
  • First black player in the Hockey Hall of Fame: Grant Fuhr (2003)
  • First black player to get more than 2,000 PIM in the NHL: Donald Brashear (2005–06)
  • First black player to score more than 500 goals in the NHL: Jarome Iginla (2011–12)
  • First black player to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy: P. K. Subban (2012–13)

American Born

  • First American-born black player in an NHL game: Val James (1981–82)
  • First American-born and exclusively American-trained black player in an NHL game: Mike Grier (1996–97)
  • First American-born black player to get more than 1,000 PIM in the NHL: Donald Brashear (1997–98)
  • First American-born black player to score more than 20 goals in a single NHL season: Mike Grier (1998–99)
  • First American-born black goalie in the NHL: Gerald Coleman (2005–06)
  • First American-born black player to play 1,000 NHL Games: Donald Brashear (2009–10)
  • First American-born black player to win the Stanley Cup: Dustin Byfuglien (2009–10)

Others

  • First black captain for Canadian national team: Angela James (1990)
  • First black coach in professional hockey: John Paris Jr. of Windsor, Nova Scotia became the first black coach in professional hockey with the Atlanta Knights in 1994.
  • First black player to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics: Jarome Iginla (2002)
  • First time two black players played in the NHL in the same game: Mike Marson and Bill Riley
  • First black TV analyst in hockey: Kevin Weekes provides commentary for NHL games on the NHL Network and Hockey Night in Canada.
  • In 2020, the only African American agents in the NHL Players' Association were Eustace King, Brett Peterson and Harkie Singh.

See also

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