NHL, NHLPA CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH STORIES OF INSPIRATIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERS
NHL Coaches’ Association BIPOC Coaches Program Celebrates 5th Anniversary
Annual Willie O’Ree Skills Weekend Hosted by Minnesota Wild
NEW YORK/TORONTO (Feb. 1, 2025) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) are celebrating Black History Month with storytelling focused on the incredible men and women who use hockey to better their communities.
Throughout the month on the NHL and NHLPA’s digital and social platforms, stories will celebrate Black hockey culture and feature young players and their parents talking about what it means to be a hockey fan. Features include Hockey Equality’s annual Black Hockey Summit, a development camp created by former NHL player Anthony Stewart. The camp welcomes hundreds of girls and boys of all ages, from across the U.S. and Canada, to Toronto for on-ice development and off-ice community building.
“Hockey is one of the most powerful platforms to unite people, and it offers those who dare to pick up a stick an unparalleled opportunity to push personal limits and create unbreakable bonds through community,” Kim Davis, NHL Sr. Executive Vice President of Social Impact, Growth Initiatives and Legislative Affairs. “February represents a moment for the NHL to express our gratitude to the Black men and women who shaped hockey history, many of whom – through their play, perseverance and performance – have extended the game and all of its benefits to the next generation.”
This season, the NHL Coaches’ Association’s BIPOC Coaches Program is celebrating its fifth anniversary. The mentorship program, which is funded in part by the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund, supports coaches at all levels of hockey. The program currently has 71 members – the largest membership in its history – who coach in the AHL, USHL, ECHL, CHL, NCAA, and U Sports leagues. The mentorship program supports skills development, leadership strategies, communication tactics, networking, and career advancement opportunities. The program helps build a strong pipeline of talent for those who aspire to coach in the NHL.
For nearly 30 years, the Willie O’Ree Skills Weekend has been bringing together boys and girls from diverse backgrounds to participate in on- and off-ice lessons designed to build confidence and teach life skills. This year, the Minnesota Wild are hosting 30 girls and boys, ages 10 to 16, from 16 different Hockey is for Everyone youth hockey organizations. Players will travel to St. Paul, Minnesota for a fun weekend of hockey.
The Willie O’Ree Skills Weekend is named after former NHL forward Willie O’Ree, who on Jan. 18, 1958 became the first Black player to compete in the League when he stepped onto the ice for the Boston Bruins. For more than two decades O’Ree has been a force for inclusion, using hockey as a platform to build character, teach life skills, and share the values of the game – perseverance, teamwork, and dedication. O’Ree’s impact on hockey has earned him numerous awards and accolades. He is the first hockey player in history to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, his achievements earned him an induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he is a Member of the Order of Canada, given to those who “make extraordinary contributions to the nation.”
For more details on the NHL and NHLPA’s Black History Month stories, and to learn more about Club initiatives, fans can visit NHL.com/BHM. Join the conversation on social media by following @NHLUnites on Instagram and using the official hashtag #NHLBlackHockeyHistory.
