Race and ethnicity in the NHL

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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]

History of Representation

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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]

Racism and Discrimination

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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]

Non-black minorities

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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[a] ·  = NHL All-Star[a] and NHL All-Star team ·  = Hall of Famers
  • Bold = Currently playing in NHL
  • Italics = Stanley Cup champions
  • * = Yet to have played an NHL game for their respective team

Asian descent

More information Nat., Name ...
Nat. Name Birthplace Pos Seasons Teams Played Ethnicity Ref
CanadaKevin BahlNew Westminster, BCD2020–presentNJD, CGYBiracial, Indian
CanadaArshdeep BainsSurrey, BCLW2023–presentVANPunjabi
CanadaVictor BartleyOttawa, OND1998–2015NSH, MTLBiracial, Taiwanese[17]
CanadaRobin BawaDuncan, BCRW1987–1999WSH, VAN, SJS, ANAPunjabi[18]
CanadaChris Beckford-TseuToronto, ONG2007–2008STLJamaican-Chinese[19][20]
CanadaJacob BrysonLondon, OND2021–presentBUFBiracial, Korean
CanadaMatt DumbaRegina, SKD2013–presentMIN, ARI, TBL, DALRomanian-German-Filipino[21]
Canada/ChinaSpencer FooEdmonton, ABRW2017–presentCGY, VGK*Chinese
JapanYutaka FukufujiKushiro, JapanG2006–2007LAKJapanese
CanadaAkito HiroseCalgary, ABD2022–presentVANJapanese
CanadaTaro HiroseWinnipeg, MBLW2018–presentDETJapanese
CanadaJosh Ho-SangToronto, ONRW2016–2019NYIJamaican-Jewish-Chinese[22]
CanadaPeter IngToronto, ONG1989–1994TOR, EDM, DETBiracial, Chinese[23]
CanadaPaul KariyaNorth Vancouver, BCLW1994–2010ANA, COL, NSH, STLJapanese-Scottish[24]
CanadaSteve KariyaNorth Vancouver, BCRW1999–2000VANJapanese-Scottish
CanadaJujhar KhairaSurrey, BCLW2014–presentEDM, CHI, MINPunjabi[25]
CanadaLarry KwongVernon, BCC1947–1948NYRChinese[26]
CanadaManny MalhotraMississauga, ONC1998–2016NYR, DAL, CBJ, SJS, VAN, CAR, MTLPunjabi-French[27]
NorwayAndreas MartinsenBærum, NorwayLW2015–2019COL, MTL, CHIUgandan Indian-Norwegian[28]
CanadaJon MatsumotoOttawa, ONC2010–2012CAR, FLAJapanese-German
CanadaJim PaekSeoul, South KoreaD1987–2003PIT, LAK, OTTKorean[29]
United StatesRichard ParkSeoul, South KoreaRW1996–2010PIT, NYI, MIN, VANKorean[30]
United StatesJason RobertsonArcadia, CALW2019–presentDALScottish-Filipino[31]
United StatesNicholas RobertsonArcadia, CALW2020–presentTORScottish-Filipino
United StatesBobby RobinsPeshtigo, WIRW2014–2015BOSBiracial, Filipino
CanadaRaymond SawadaRichmond, BCRW2008–2011DALJapanese-Italian
CanadaDevin SetoguchiTaber, ABRW2007–2018SJS, MIN, WPG, CGY, LAKBiracial, Japanese[32][better source needed]
United StatesKiefer SherwoodColumbus, OHRW2018–presentANA, COL, NSH, VANBiracial, Japanese
United StatesKole SherwoodNew Albany, OHRW2018–presentCBJ, NSHBiracial, Japanese
CanadaDevin ShoreAjax, ONC2015–presentDAL, ANA, CBJ, EDM, SEA, MINBiracial, Filipino
SwitzerlandJonas SiegenthalerZürich, SwitzerlandD2018–presentWSH, NJDSwiss-Thai
CanadaDylan SikuraAurora, ONC2018–presentCHI, VGK, COL, ANA*Slovak-Japanese[33]
CanadaJordan SpenceSydney, AustraliaD2021–presentLAKBiracial, Japanese
United StatesTim StapletonLa Grange, ILC2008–2012TOR, ATL, WINIrish-Filipino[34]
CanadaJamie StorrBrampton, ONG1994–2004LAK, CARBiracial, Japanese
CanadaNick SuzukiLondon, ONC2019–presentMTLJapanese-Scottish[35]
CanadaRyan SuzukiLondon, ONC2024–presentCARJapanese-Scottish
United StatesDavid TanabeWhite Bear Lake, MND1999–2008BOS, CARJapanese[36]
United StatesMike WongMinneapolis, MNC1975–1976DETChinese-Native[37]
United StatesKailer YamamotoSpokane, WARW2017–presentEDM, SEA, UTABiracial, his father is half-Japanese and his mother is half-Hawaiian[38]
Canada/ChinaBrandon YipVancouver, BCRW2009–2014COL, NSH, PHXBiracial, Three quarter-Chinese and one quarter-Irish[39]
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NHL career

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

More information Player, Pos ...
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Franchise career

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

More information Player, GP ...
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First Nation/Native American descent

More information Nat., Name ...
Nat. Name Birthplace Pos Seasons Teams Played Ethnicity Ref
CanadaGeorge ArmstrongSkead, OntarioRW1949–1971TORBiracial Ojibwe-Canadian[40]
CanadaBryan TrottierVal Marie, SaskatchewanC1975–1994NYI, PITBiracial Cree-Canadian[41]
CanadaTed NolanGarden River, OntarioLW1981–1986DET, PITOjibwe-Canadian[42]
CanadaGrant FuhrSpruce Grove, AlbertaG1981–2000EDM, TOR, BUF, LAK, STL, CGYBiracial Cree and Afro-Canadian[43]
CanadaEverett SanipassElsipogtog First Nation, New BrunswickLW1986–1991CHI, QUEMi'kmaq[44]
CanadaCraig BerubeCalahoo, AlbertaLW1986–2003PHI, TOR, CGY, WSH, NYIBiracial Cree-Canadian[45]
CanadaTheoren FleuryOxbow, SaskatchewanRW1988–2003CAL, NYRMétis Canadian[46]
CanadaGino OdjickManiwaki, QuébecLW1990–2002MTL, NYI, VAN, PHIBiracial Algonquian-Canadian[47]
CanadaBlair AtcheynumEstevan, SaskatchewanRW1992–2001OTT, NSH, STL, CHICree descent[40]
CanadaArron AshamPortage la Prairie, ManitobaRW1998–2014MTL, NYI, NJD, PHI, PIT, NYRMétis Canadian[40]
CanadaJordin TootooChurchill, ManitobaRW2003–2017NSH, NJD, DET, CHIInuit[48]
CanadaRené BourqueLac La Biche, AlbertaLW2005–2017MTL, CAL, CLB, CHIMétis Canadian[49]
Canada Carey Price Vancouver, British Columbia G 2007–present MTL Biracial Dakelh-Canadian [50]
United States T. J. Oshie Mount Vernon, Washington RW 2008–present STL, WSH Biracial Ojibwe-American [51]
CanadaMichael FerlandSwan River, ManitobaLW2014–2020CAR, CAL, VANCree descent[52]
Canada Brandon Montour Ohsweken, Ontario D 2016–present ANA, BUF, FLO Mohawk descent [53]
Canada Henry Maracle Ayr, Ontario LW 1930-31 NYR Mohawk descent [54]
Canada Ethan Bear Regina, Saskatchewan D 2018–present EDM, CAR, VAN Cree descent [55]
Canada Zach Whitecloud Brandon, Manitoba D 2018–present VGK Dakota-Canadian [53]
United States Garrett Pilon Mineola, New York C 2021–present WSH Métis American [56]
Canada Rich Pilon Saskatoon, Saskatchewan D 1989-2002 NYI, NYR, STL Métis descent [57]
Canada Fred Sasakamoose Debden, Saskatchewan C 1954 CHI Cree [58]
Canada Reggie Leach Riverton, Manitoba RW 1971-1983 BOS, CGS, PHI, DET Ojibwe [59]
Canada Jamie Leach Winnipeg, Manitoba RW 1990-1994 PIT, HAR, FLO Ojibwe descent [60]
Canada Stan Jonathan Ohsweken, Ontario LW 1976-1983 BOS, PIT Tuscarora [61]
Canada Jonathan Cheechoo Moose Factory, Ontario RW 2003-2010 SJS, OTT Cree [62]
Canada Dwight King Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan LW 2011-2017 LAK, MTL Métis descent [63]
Canada Connor Dewar The Pas, Manitoba C 2022-Present MIN, TOR Métis descent [64]
Canada D.J. King Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan C 2007-2012 STL, WSH Métis descent [63]
Canada Calen Addison Brandon, Manitoba D 2021-Present MIN Métis descent [65]
Canada Travis Hamonic St. Malo, Manitoba D 2011-Present NYI, CGY, VAN, OTT Métis descent [66]
Canada Brady Keeper Cross Lake, Manitoba D 2019-Present FLO Cree [67]
Canada Michael McNiven Winnipeg, Manitoba G 2022 MTL Métis descent [68]
Canada Jim Neilson Big River, Saskatchewan D 1963-1979 NYR, CGS, CLE Cree [69]
Canada Ted Hodgson Hobbema, Alberta RW 1967 BOS Cree [70]
Canada Harry York Ponoka, Alberta C 1997-2000 STL, NYR, PIT, VAN Cree [71]
Canada Scott Daniels Prince Albert, Saskatchewan LW 1993-1999 HFD, PHI, NJD Cree [72]
Canada Dale McCourt Falconbridge, Ontario C 1978-1984 DET, BUF, TOR Cree [73]
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Latino descent

More information Nat., Name ...
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Middle Eastern descent

See also

Notes

  1. Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.

References

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