Black Hockey Summit Pushing NHL to Diversify and Improve

The Black Hockey Summit is helping expand access to the NHL.

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Cayden Lindstrom is selected with the 4th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

It's no secret that the NHL is mostly white players. The NHL conducted an internal study in 2021 and 2022 that detailed the demographic breakdown of their workforce.

According to their report, just under 84% of the NHL's employees (including players and staff) are white, 4% are Asian, 3% are Black or African American, another 3% are Hispanic or Latino, and less than 1% are Indigenous. The disparity is also reflected in the league's fellowship program and human resources department, with both being nearly 70% white.

That's why the Hockey Equality organization was created and works so hard. There has been progress on the ice and within organizations. The first female assistant coach was just hired in Seattle and the San Jose Sharks hired the first Black general manager in league history when Mike Grier took over their team. Significant work remains for the NHL and the sport of hockey, and Hockey Equality is a leader in this work. Their mission, according to their website, is "to create diversity at all levels of the game of hockey."

One of their efforts is the Black Hockey Summit. This year's summit welcomed hundreds of BIPOC children interested in hockey to the Scotiabank Pond in Toronto. NHL.com and The Color of Hockey writer William Douglas was on hand to chronicle the event. He discussed how impactful the event was, which featured both on and off-ice sessions.

"The goal of the summit is to help make hockey more inclusive and welcoming by producing good players, nurturing them and creating a community and support network for them and their families," Douglas wrote.

The effects of this push are evident in the league. This past draft class was the most diverse in NHL history. 12 players of color were selected with five taken in the first round. Cayden Lindstrom went fourth overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tij Iginla, son of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, went sixth overall to the Utah Hockey Club. Zayn Parekh went ninth overall to the Calgary Flames, Michael Hage went to the Montreal Canadiens, and the New York Rangers selected EJ Emery. With the work of Hockey Equality and the NHL committed to diversifying, the league is expanding for the better.

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