Ethnic diversity has never been a major attraction for hockey fans.
Don Cherry has long since been using a player’s nationality to criticize their lack of toughness; in his mind good Canadian boys are always the toughest.
The NHL’s first black player, Willie O’Ree, changed the course of history on Jan. 18, 1957, when he suited up for the Boston Bruins.
However, throughout his short time spent in the league he constantly faced racial slurs.
“Go back to the South” and “How come you aren’t picking cotton?” were examples O’Ree, who hails from Fredericton, recalls in his autobiography.
Racism has still not been eliminated. Montreal Canadiens star P.K. Subban was brutally attacked on social media with racist slurs last spring in the playoff series against the same Bruins.
At the professional level, Canadians have constantly been pioneers in the hockey community.
In addition to O’Ree, Lawrence Kwong, from B.C., was the first player of Asian decent to play in the NHL in 1923 and Canadian Fred Sasakamoose became the first aboriginal player in the NHL in 1954.
Since then, the NHL has featured many players, stars and otherwise, who do not have European ancestry.
The most recent story of a player overcoming cultural obstacles is Jordin Tootoo, currently playing for the New Jersey Devils.
He is the first Inuk player in the NHL. He hails from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut and now serves as a role model for hockey-playing youth across the Canadian territories.
Paths have been carved for anyone to be able to play and succeed at the popular Canadian pastime. Despite many hurdles, including the cost of playing and the lack of ice in certain countries, hockey is a sport that continues to grow internationally.
The NHL has implemented a program called Hockey is for Everyone, which is committed to “offering children of all backgrounds the opportunity to play hockey.”
The International Ice Hockey Federation now has 73 member countries although only 53 are full time members.
This includes highly unexpected countries such as Azerbaijan, India and Thailand.
Yet the sport still has a long way to go on the international level.
The recently announced World Cup of Hockey, set to take place September 2016 in Toronto, will only have six countries participating and two other all-star teams.
Those making decisions at the top of the hockey world apparently do not think there are even eight countries good enough at hockey compete as the best in the world.
However, most hockey players will never see the professional side of the game. Hockey is a game primarily played amongst friends on community rinks, in back yards, or on naturally frozen bodies of water.
It is a game everyone is invited to play.
As an example, look no further than the Plouffe Park Winter Classic, played right here in Centretown on Feb. 14.
A big theme of the outdoor-hockey tournament was diversity and bringing the community together.
Organizer Randy Way says he made a big effort to get all members of the community out. Hockey can be a great way to meet new neighbours and make new connections, especially for new Canadians.
The teams playing in the Plouffe Park tournament featured Inuit, First Nations, Metis, Caribbean, Asian and LGBTQ players in an effort, Way says, to include everyone.
Way is Metis from Saskatchewan and regularly plays in ethnically diverse hockey events in Ottawa.
For example, he plays on aboriginal teams in tournaments and says his the majority of his teammates are Algonquin and Mohawk, but he also plays with First Nations and Metis people from all different areas of Canada.
Many strides still need to be taken at the international level for hockey, but once again Canada is leading the charge to promote diversity in the game and ensure a very important facet.
Everyone should have the opportunity to play.