Category: Interview

Source: WGBH News

First, this article is not about racism. It is about the lack of interest of a minority group in a particular sport. And it is that lack of interest in the sport of hockey that leads to the question why don’t more minorities gravitate to the sport either as players or fans.

To start this theoretical exercise, let us begin with a peek inside of funny conversation that took place last night. It happens between several coworkers of which two are working and the other three are hanging out together at the game’s event upstairs. The exchange takes place after a Black, or African American, player from the home team is sent to the sin bin (penalty box) for slashing. We will call the player, Reagan.

The following communication takes place via text messages with the exception of the fan who is sitting behind the three coworkers hanging out in the stands:*

Fan: (yelling at ref) You can’t call that on him! That’s racist!
Coworker 1: (laughing with Coworker 2 & 3) Oh my God, did he just say that?
Coworker 2: Yeah, he went there.
So then, coworker 2 proceeds to text fellow coworkers 4 and 5 who are working to tell them about the fan.
Coworker 4: Well, what do you expect him to say? Reagan is a mythical being in the NHL.
Coworker 2: So, you’re saying he’s an unicorn?
Coworker 4: Yes. How many Black guys do you know play in the NHL?
Coworker 2: Three.
Coworker 1: There are more than 3 guys who play in the NHL
Coworker 2: (laughing) Really. Name them.
Coworker 1: Okay, there’s the Blue Jackets, the Jets, the Predators, the Bruins. . . um, um, and then there’s the Duke for the ‘Yotes.
Coworker 2: (still laughing) So, there is five.
Coworker 1: (unamused by her lack of memory) There’s more than that. I just can’t remember them. I know there’s more.

Well, that conversation led to the thought that maybe we should investigate how many there really were playing currently in the NHL. It also led to the thought that why aren’t there more minorities of all races playing or attending NHL games.

There are more than five . . . actually several more. Akim Aliu (Calgary Flames), Justin Bailey (Buffalo Sabres), Nicholas Baptiste (Buffalo Sabres), Pierre Edouard Bellemare (Philadelphia Flyers), J.T.Brown (Tampa Bay Lightning), Dustin Byfliguen (San Jose Sharks), Trevor Daley (Pittsburgh Penguins), Anthony Duclair (Arizona Coyotes), Matt Dumba (Minnesota Wild), Emerson Etem (Vancouver Canucks), Mark Fraser (Edmonton Oilers), Christopher Gibson (New York Islanders), Jerome Ignila (Los Angeles Kings), Seth Jones (Columbus Blue Jackets), Evander Kane (Buffalo Sabres), Oliver Kylington (Calagary Flames), Darnell Nurse (Edmonton Oilers), Johnny Oduya (Chicago Blackhawks), Kyle Okposo (Buffalo Sabres), Ryan Reaves (St. Louis Blues), Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia Flyers), Devante Smith-Pelly (New Jersey Devils), Gemel Smith (Dallas Stars), Chris Stewart (Minnesota Wild), Malcolm Subban (Boston Bruins), PK Subban (Nashville Predators), and Joel Ward (Washington Capitals).

In all, there are 27 Black NHL players approximately one for every team. The only teams that do not have a Black player on their team include New York Rangers, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and the San Jose Sharks. However, both the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers have players of Arab descent (Nazeem Kadri, Brandon Saad and Mika Zibanejad, respectively). TJ Oshie of the Washington Capitals is of Asian descent.

Unfortunately, there are only 3 players of Latin, or Hispanic, descent currently playing in the NHL I was able to find. They include Al Montoya of the Montreal Canadiens, Austin Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raffi Torres of the Carolina Hurricanes.

So, why is it there are so few Black or other minorities that play the game? Better yet, why are there so few Black fans of the sport? One could argue it is a cold weather sport and some folks don’t like the cold. That argument can be debunk with the layering of clothes when attending the event. A player will automatically get hot while playing.

Source: onpointpath1 (Chris Rock)

For example, Atlanta which has the highest concentration of Blacks has had 2 NHL teams that have failed due to lack of popularity. Hockey is popular in areas of the United States where minorities tend not to live like the upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Michigan, etc.) and Northeast (Vermont, New Hampshire, etc.) regions. Further, hockey is an expensive sport to play. It costs a few hundred dollars to participate in baseball or basketball. Hockey costs can soar up to $1,000 without including the cost of gear.

There is diversity in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHL is not placing token players on the teams it holds in its possession. The League and its teams have actively tried to engage those less fortunate into its ranks with its Learn to Play which is a free program and participates in other programs like You Can Play and Hockey in Harlem projects.

As Joel Ward of the Washington Capitals put it an interview, hockey is for everyone. The NHL has opened it arms to those beyond the standard regions who embrace hockey. With minorities now moving up the social ladder, it should eventually become easier for children of color to be able to participate. Perhaps, it is time that Black and other minorities seek to leave their comfort zone of basketball and football to learn something new.

Source: Wall Street Journal

*Names have been withheld to protect the individuals and their jobs and some passages are paraphrased as well for the same reasons.