Once known as a league riddled with racism and exclusiveness, the NHL has made some positive steps toward a more diverse and inclusive institution.
[9][needs update] A number of ice hockey leagues for players of African descent formed in Canada as early as the late-19th century.
[14] His stints with the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs were short-lived and he eventually retired in 1987 due to injury.
Val (Valmore) James, the first U.S.-born African American hockey player called up by the Buffalo Sabres in 1982, refrained from openly discussing his experiences with racism in the league until three decades after retiring from the sport.
The depth of his ordeal was so profound that he reported being unable to watch hockey for a full decade without being haunted by memories of discrimination in the league.
[14] James's tumultuous journey serves as a poignant illustration of how societal racism can infiltrate sports cultures.
These are the top-ten players of Asian descent, by career points, goals, and assists, when counting only their production with a specific franchise.