Willie O’Ree (born October 15, 1935), Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. O’Ree is known as the first black player to play in an NHL game. O’Ree was a call-up to play for the Boston Bruins on January 18, 1958, in place of an injured player, thus making NHL history. He was a left-winger for the Boston Bruins and is known as the “Jackie Robinson of ice hockey” for breaking the black color barrier in professional ice hockey. Mr. O’Ree claims to have met Jackie Robinson on two separate occasions when he was younger.

Playing Career

O’Ree was called up from the Quebec Aces as a replacement for an injured Bruins player. Two years earlier, he was struck in the eye by an errant puck, causing him to lose sight in his right eye, which he was forced to keep a secret because if the Bruins had known about the injury, they would never have given him a chance to play. On January 18, 1958, he made National Hockey League history as the first black player to suit up in a regular-season game, playing the left-wing for the Boston Bruins in a game against the dynasty Montreal Canadians. he would see NHL action in two games that season. Three years later, he would rejoin the Bruins during the 1960-1961 campaign, playing in 43 games, registering 4 G and 14 points. That would conclude his tenure in the NHL. O’Ree would retire from hockey after the 1978-1979 season while playing minor pro hockey for the San Diego Hawks of the (PHL) Pacific Hockey League.

Being the first black NHL’er, Willie O’Ree remarked on the racist comments that he endured as a player and the severity of those comments between fans in the U.S.A. and Canada. Canadian fans would yell, ‘How come you’re not picking cotton?’ or ‘Go back to the South’. Willie just shrugged it off, preferring to focus on becoming the best hockey player he could be.

Willie O’Ree spent the bulk of his career in the minor leagues, where he excelled as a player, winning two scoring titles, 1964-1965 and 1968-1969, scoring 38 goals on each occasion. His No. 20 jersey that he wore while playing for the San Diego Gulls was raised to the rafters on October 15, 2015, celebrating his 80th birthday and honor of him. His No. 20 now hangs from the rafters at Pechanga Arena.

It would be 13 years until the second Canadian black player would play professional hockey in an NHL uniform. Mike Marson was drafted in the 2nd Round, 19th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first game on the same night that the Washington Capitals franchise debuted.

All-Time list of all black NHL players

Nat.	Name	Birthplace	Pos	Seasons	Teams Played	Ethnicity	Ref
	Akim Aliu	Okene, Nigeria	RW	2011–2013	CGY	Nigerian-Ukrainian	[2]
	Darren Archibald	Newmarket, ON	RW	2013–present	VAN, OTT	Afro-Canadian	[3]
	Justin Bailey	Buffalo, NY	RW	2015–present	BUF, PHI, VAN	Bi-racial
	Darren Banks	Toronto, ON	LW	1992–1994	BOS	[4]	[5]
	Nicholas Baptiste	Ottawa, ON	RW	2016–present	BUF, TOR*	Haitian
	Chris Beckford-Tseu	Toronto, ON	G	2007–2008	STL	Jamaican-Chinese[6]	[7]
	Shawn Belle	Edmonton, AB	D	2006–2011	MIN, MTL, EDM, COL	[8]	[9]
	Pierre-Edouard Bellemare	Le Blanc-Mesnil, France	LW	2014–present	PHI, VGK, COL	Bi-racial, Martiniquais[10]	[11]
	Paul Bissonnette	Welland, ON	LW	2008–2014	PIT, PHX	Bi-racial, his mother is half-black[12][13]	[14]
	Francis Bouillon	New York City, NY	D	1999–2014	MTL, NSH	Haitian-French[15]	[16]
	Madison Bowey	Winnipeg, MB	D	2017–present	WSH, DET	Bi-racial
	Donald Brashear	Bedford, IN	LW	1993–2010	MTL, VAN, PHI, WSH, NYR	African-French[17]	[18]
	Fred Brathwaite	Ottawa, ON	G	1993–2004	EDM, CGY, STL, CBJ	Barbadian[17]	[19]
	J. T. Brown	Burnsville, MN	RW	2011–present	TBL, ANA, MIN	Bi-racial	[20][21]
	Sean Brown	Oshawa, ON	D	1996–2006	EDM, BOS, NJD, VAN	[17]	[22]
	Dustin Byfuglien	Roseau, MN	D	2005–present	CHI, ATL, WPG	African-Norwegian-Swedish[23]	[24]
	Anson Carter	Toronto, ON	RW	1996–2007	BOS, WSH, EDM, NYR, LAK, CAR, VAN, CBJ	Barbadian[17]	[25]
	Gerald Coleman	Romeoville, IL	G	2005–2006	TBL	[26] Bi-racial	[27]
	John Craighead	Vancouver, BC	RW	1996–1997	TOR	[4]	[28]
	Dale Craigwell	Toronto, ON	C	1991–1994	SJS	[4]	[29]
	Trevor Daley	Toronto, ON	D	2003–present	DAL, CHI, PIT, DET	Bi-racial, Jamaican	[30]
/	Nigel Dawes	Winnipeg, MB	LW	2006–2011	NYR, PHX, CGY, ATL, MTL	Bi-racial, Jamaican[31]	[32]
	Andre Deveaux	Freeport, Bahamas	C	2008–2012	TOR, NYR	Bi-racial, Bahamian
	Jason Doig	Montreal, QC	D	1995–2004	WIN, PHX, NYR, WSH	Jamaican[17]	[33]
	Anthony Duclair	Pointe-Claire, QC	LW	2014–present	NYR, ARI, CHI, CBJ, OTT	Haitian[34]	[35]
	Robbie Earl	Chicago, IL	LW	2007–2011	TOR, MIN	African American	[36]
	Ray Emery	Hamilton, ON	G	2002–2015	OTT, PHI, ANA, CHI	Bi-racial	[37]
	Emerson Etem	Long Beach, CA	RW	2012–2018	ANA, NYR, VAN	Bi-racial	[38]
	Steven Fletcher	Montreal, QC	LW/D	1987–1989	MTL, WIN	[39] Bi-racial	[40]
	Maxime Fortunus	Longueuil, QC	D	2009–2014	DAL	Haitian	[41]
	Mark Fraser	Ottawa, ON	D	2006–2017	NJD, TOR, EDM	Bi-racial, Jamaican[42]	[43]
	Grant Fuhr	Spruce Grove, AB	G	1981–2000	EDM, TOR, BUF, LAK, STL, CGY	Bi-racial	[44]
	Joaquin Gage	Vancouver, BC	G	1994–2001	EDM	[4]	[45]
	Tyrone Garner	Stoney Creek, ON	G	1998–1999	CGY	[46]	[47]
	Christopher Gibson	Karkkila, Finland	G	2015–present	NYI	Saint Lucian-Finnish
	Tyrell Goulbourne	Edmonton, AB	LW	2017–present	PHI, VGK*	Bi-racial, Jamaican
	Dirk Graham	Regina, SK	RW	1983–1995	MNS, CHI	Bi-racial, Afro-Canadian	[48]
	Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre	Montreal, QC	D	1998–2004	BUF, CBJ, WSH, ATL	Haitian[17]	[49]
	Jordan Greenway	Canton, NY	LW	2017–present	MIN	Bi-racial
	Mike Grier	Detroit, MI	RW	1996–2011	EDM, WSH, SJS, BUF	African American	[50]
	Josh Ho-Sang	Toronto, ON	RW	2016–present	NYI	Jamaican-Jewish
	Jarome Iginla	Edmonton, AB	RW	1995–2017	CGY, PIT, BOS, COL, LAK	Bi-racial, Nigerian[17][26]	[51]
	Val James	Ocala, FL	LW	1981–1987	BUF, TOR	African American	[52]
	Paul Jerrard	Winnipeg, MB	D	1988–1989	MNS	Bi-racial, Jamaican[53]	[54]
	Brian Johnson	Montreal, QC	RW	1983–1984	DET	[55]	[56]
	Justin Johnson	Anchorage, AK	RW	2013–2014	NYI		[57]
	Caleb Jones	Arlington, TX	D	2018–present	EDM	Bi-racial
	Seth Jones	Arlington, TX	D	2013–present	NSH, CBJ	Bi-racial
	Mathieu Joseph	Chambly, QC	RW	2018–present	TBL
	Derek Joslin	Richmond Hill, ON	D	2008–2013	SJS, CAR, VAN	Bi-racial	[58]
	Evander Kane	Vancouver, BC	LW	2009–present	ATL, WPG, BUF, SJS	Bi-racial	[59]
	Keegan Kolesar	Brandon, MB	RW	2019–present	VGK	Bi-racial
	Oliver Kylington	Stockholm, Sweden	D	2015–present	CGY	Swedish-Eritrean	[60]
	Nathan LaFayette	New Westminster, BC	C	1993–1999	STL, VAN, NYR, LAK	[61]	[62]
	Georges Laraque	Montreal, QC	RW	1997–2010	EDM, PIT, PHX, MTL	Haitian[17]	[63]
	Darren Lowe	Toronto, ON	RW	1983–1984	PIT	Afro-Canadian[64]	[65]
	Mike Marson	Scarborough, ON	LW	1974–1980	WSH, LAK	[66]	[67]
	Craig Martin	Amherst, NS	RW	1994–1997	WIN, FLA	Afro-Canadian[4]	[68]
	Andreas Martinsen	Bærum, Norway	LW	2015–present	COL, MTL, CHI	Indian/Ugandan-Norwegian	[69]
	Greg Mauldin	Holliston, MA	C	2003–2011	CBJ, NYI, COL	African American[70]	[71]
	Jamal Mayers	Toronto, ON	RW	1996–2013	STL, TOR, CGY, SJS, CHI	Bi-racial, Barbadian[72]	[73]
	Kenndal McArdle	Toronto, ON	LW	2008–2012	FLA, WPG	Trinidadian[74]	[75]
	Sandy McCarthy	Toronto, ON	RW	1993–2004	CGY, TBL, PHI, CAR, NYR, BOS	Black-Mi’kmaq[76]	[77]
	Mike McHugh	Bowdoin, ME	LW	1988–1992	MNS, SJS	[39]	[78]
	Tony McKegney	Montreal, QC	LW	1978–1991	BUF, QUE, MNS, NYR, STL, DET, CHI	Bi-racial, Nigerian	[79]
	Sean McMorrow	Vancouver, BC	LW	2002–2003	BUF	[80]	[81]
	Rumun Ndur	Zaria, Nigeria	D	1996–2000	BUF, NYR, ATL	Nigerian[4]	[82]
	Ray Neufeld	St. Boniface, MB	RW	1979–1990	HAR, WIN, BOS	[66]	[83]
	Darnell Nurse	Hamilton, ON	D	2014–present	EDM	Bi-racial, Trinidadian	[84]
	Johnny Oduya	Stockholm, Sweden	D	2006–2018	NJD, ATL, WPG, CHI, DAL, OTT, PHI	Bi-racial, Kenyan[85]	[86]
	Kyle Okposo	St. Paul, MN	RW	2007–present	NYI, BUF	Bi-racial, Nigerian[87]	[88]
	Willie O’Ree	Fredericton, NB	W	1957–1961	BOS	Afro-Canadian	[88]
	Theo Peckham	Richmond Hill, ON	D	2007–2013	EDM	Bi-racial	[89]
	Ryan Reaves	Winnipeg, MB	RW	2010–present	STL, PIT, VGK	Bi-racial	[90]
	Pokey Reddick	Halifax, NS	G	1986–1994	WIN, EDM, FLA	[66]	[91]
	Bill Riley	Amherst, NS	RW	1974–1980	WSH, WIN	Afro-Canadian[66]	[92]
	Nathan Robinson	Scarborough, ON	C	2003–2006	DET, BOS		[93]
	Bryce Salvador	Brandon, MB	D	2000–2015	STL, NJD	Afro-Brazilian-Ukrainian[94]	[95]
	Bernie Saunders	Montreal, QC	LW	1979–1981	QUE	[96]	[97]
	Reggie Savage	Montreal, QC	C	1990–1994	WSH, QUE	Jamaican[98]	[99]
	C. J. Suess	Saint Paul, MN	LW	2019–present	WPG	Bi-racial
	Wayne Simmonds	Scarborough, ON	RW	2008–present	LAK, PHI, NSH, NJD, BUF	[100]	[101]
	Devante Smith-Pelly	Scarborough, ON	RW	2011–present	ANA, MTL, NJD, WSH		[102]
	Gemel Smith	Toronto, ON	C	2016–present	DAL, BOS, TBL
	Givani Smith	Toronto, ON	RW	2019–present	DET
	Anthony Stewart	LaSalle, QC	RW	2005–2012	FLA, ATL, CAR	Bi-racial, Jamaican[26]	[103]
	Chris Stewart	Toronto, ON	RW	2008–2018	COL, STL, BUF, MIN, ANA, CGY, PHI	Bi-racial, Jamaican[31]	[104]
	Malcolm Subban	Toronto, ON	G	2014–present	BOS, VGK, CHI*	Jamaican-Montserratian	[105]
	P. K. Subban	Toronto, ON	D	2009–present	MTL, NSH, NJD	Jamaican-Montserratian	[106]
	Graeme Townshend	Kingston, Jamaica	RW	1989–1994	BOS, NYI, OTT	Jamaican[4]	[107]
	Claude Vilgrain	Port-au-Prince, Haiti	RW	1987–1994	VAN, NJD, PHI	Haitian[61]	[108]
	Joel Ward	North York, ON	RW	2006–2018	MIN, NSH, WSH, SJS	Barbadian[109]	[110]
	Kevin Weekes	Toronto, ON	G	1997–2009	FLA, VAN, NYI, TBL, CAR, NYR, NJD	Barbadian[17]	[111]
	Peter Worrell	Pierrefonds, QC	LW	1997–2004	FLA, COL	Barbadian[17]	[112]

Awards

• WHL Second All-Star Team (1969)^[37]
• New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame (1984)^[21]
• Lester Patrick Trophy (2003)^[21]
• Order of New Brunswick (2005)^[21]
• Willie O’Ree Place (Fredericton arena, dedicated 2008)^[38]
• Order of Canada (2008)^[39]
• Breitbard Hall of Fame (2008)^[21]
• Hockey Hall of Fame (2018)
• Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (2020/21)
• The Royal Canadian Mint unveiled a Willie O’Ree commemorative $20 silver coin in honor of black history month.
• Pure Silver Coin – Black History Month: Willie O’Ree – Mintage: 5,500 (2020) | The Royal Canadian Mint
• Larry Kwong (First Player To Break The NHL Color Barrier) (tedtalkshockey.com)
• Player Profile Keith Aulie (tedtalkshockey.com)

The Best Place to Buy same day essay Can Be Found Here