How Many Black NHL Players Are There Today?
Contents
Many people are curious about how many black NHL players there are today. The answer may surprise you!
Introduction
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 30 member clubs: 23 in the United States and 7 in Canada. Founded in 1917, it is the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in North America.
Today, there are approximately 700 black NHL players, accounting for about 15 percent of the league. Although this number has increased significantly over the years, it is still lower than the percentage of black players in other professional sports leagues, such as the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The NHL’s History with Black Players
In 1978, the NHL Draft saw history being made when forward Val James became the first African American player to be drafted into the league. He played a total of four games with the Buffalo Sabres before going on to have a successful career in the American Hockey League (AHL). James’ story is representative of the journey that many black hockey players have had to take in order to achieve their dreams of playing in the NHL.
Today, there are more black players in the NHL than ever before. The most recent numbers show that there are currently 23 black players in the league, which is just over 2% of the total player pool. While this number might seem small, it’s important to remember that it’s a drastic increase from where things were even just a few decades ago.
The increased representation of black players in the NHL is largely due to initiatives put in place by the league to promote diversity and inclusion. These initiatives include programs like “Hockey Is For Everyone”, which provide opportunities for marginalized groups to get involved in the sport. In recent years, we’ve also seen an increase in the number of African American players being drafted into the league. In 2017, forward Klim Kostin became the first Russian-born black player to be drafted when he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round.
As we continue to see more black players joining the ranks of NHL stars, it’s clear that hockey is indeed for everyone.
The NHL’s Current Black Players
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 30 teams, of which 29 are based in the United States and one in Canada. The league is headquartered in New York City. As of the 2017–18 season, there are 23 black NHL players.
The New York Rangers have the most black NHL players on their team with four. The Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens each have three black NHL players on their respective teams. The Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Winnipeg Jets each have two black NHL players.
The Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders Buffalo Sabres Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks each have one black player on their team.
The Future of Black Players in the NHL
As the NHL looks to the future, the league is hoping to see an increase in the number of black players at all levels of the game.
Currently, there are only 26 black players in the NHL, accounting for just over eight percent of the league’s total player pool. While this number has grown significantly from just a decade ago – when there were only 16 black players in the NHL – it is still far from where the league would like it to be.
There are a number of reasons why the NHL is hoping to increase its black player pool. For one, it is simply a matter of diversity and inclusion. The league wants to reflect the growing racial diversity of its fan base, and black players are an important part of that equation.
But beyond that, there is also a recognition that black players can bring a unique set of skills and abilities to the game that can make it even more exciting to watch. Black players have historically been some of the most gifted skaters and stick-handlers in the game, and they have also tended to play with an edge that can add an extra element of physicality and excitement.
The NHL has been working hard to increase its pool of black players in recent years. The league’s “Hockey Is For Everyone” initiative has been critical in this regard, as has been the work of organizations like Hockey Night In Canada’s “Get Out And Learn” program.
These efforts have begun to bear fruit, with more young black players beginning to make their way into the NHL ranks. It is still early days, but if these trend lines continue, we could see a significant increase in the number of black players in the NHL over the next few years.
