The NHLI via Mike Stobe.
6:30 AM
At a young age, Wayne was drawn to hockey.
He wasn't allowed to participate until the homework assignment was complete.
I told my parents when I was 6 or 7 that I wanted to play hockey. They told me to look up Willie O'Ree before I could. They wanted to know why I was able to play the game. Willie has been my hero since I was a kid, and I did a lot of studying about him. Without him, Black children, and other BIPOC kids wouldn't have had the opportunities they have. Every ethnicity has a pioneer. Willie was the first person.
Willie O'Ree was the first Black player in the NHL when he wore a Boston Bruins sweater. O'Ree ensured he would not be the last because of his dedication to improving the sport. The Bruins will honor O'Ree's legacy and retire his jersey in a ceremony on January 18, 2022.
O'Ree will have to attend the event virtually due to the rise in COVID-19 cases. His presence was never going to be diminished. His legacy will live on forever because of the people he's inspired.
The story of O'Ree.
O'Ree's story is a part of hockey lore and he overcame a lot of hardship to achieve his dream. O'Ree was blind in one eye after being hit by a puck two years prior, and he hid the fact from the Bruins. O'Ree wouldn't have been eligible for the NHL if Boston had known. The course of pro hockey might have changed.
O'Ree played for Boston for 45 games from 1959 to 1961, recording four goals and 14 points. His tenure was marred by violence. Being the only black player in the NHL made O'Ree a focus of vicious, racially charged attacks from fellow players and fans, and one of which knocked out O'Ree's front teeth and broke his nose.
O'Ree's short but pathbreaking stint with the Bruins.
The players and circumstances paved the way for O'Ree.
There's more work to be done after O'Ree broke the color barrier.
After he was traded to Montreal, O'Ree would not be deterred. O'Ree had to try to get the attention of the club during their camp because the Habs already had a stacked forward group. O'Ree failed to get an invitation to the next training camp despite his strong performance there. He wouldn't play in the NHL again.
O'Ree had a successful 17-year career in the minor leagues, appearing in 785 Western Hockey League games and scoring 639 points before he retired at age 43. The time O'Ree spent in the NHL was too short, but the experience fueled his second act, leading the charge for a more inclusive hockey space.
O'Ree has been the NHL's director of youth development and an ambassador for NHL Diversity since 1998 and has been face-to-face with the generations of players his work is impacting.
O'Ree's vision for a better hockey community has resulted in numerous awards and honors over the years, one of the largest being his enshrinement by the Hockey Hall of Fame's Builder category in 2018). O'Ree was awarded the Order of Canada in 2008. This year, the 116th U.S. Congress will award the United States Congressional Gold medal to O'Ree. At 86 years old, O'Ree's passion for his cause is the same.
O'Ree never chose to be a pioneer. He was one of the one who did not ask to bear that burden. O'Ree created space for more minority players in the hockey world. O'Ree paved the road that Eustace King traveled. They want to write their own stories.
If it wasn't for Willie O'Ree, there wouldn't be any Black executives in the NHL. King said there wouldn't be any black players. It would have been later on if there were. I think that he was able to handle it because of his personality and character.
The inspiring younger generations.
The photo is in Anthony Stewart's office.
Stewart had just been drafted by the Florida panthers. He had exchanged pleasantries with Gary Bettman, pulled on that traditional jersey/hat combo, and was exiting the stage when O'Ree came into sight. Their interaction was brief, but still remembered on Stewart's wall.
Stewart said that he was going above and beyond to make sure he was meeting all the minority draft picks. It was special to have him be a part of that day. I still remember it. The picture of us is in a frame. He cares about the game of hockey and the growth of it. Willie was the first player I looked up to.
O'Ree was still waiting to greet NHL draftees a decade later. The New York Rangers drafted Anthony Duclair and he shared a "really cool moment" with Ryan O'Ree and Jordan Subban.
Duclair said that it was a time when he was in awe. He's touched so many people's lives. We talked about being yourself and working hard. I really took those words to heart. Don't try to please other people. Work hard and have fun. That was his message.
P.K. Subban is already making inroads through the NHL. The younger Subban met O'Ree for the first time and it was a special moment for him.
Willie O'Ree was a great role model. I looked at him as a symbol of being able to accomplish your dreams, no matter what. There's a lot of talk about the barriers that Black players have to go through to play hockey. The color barrier in the NHL was probably worse when he broke it. He's someone that I look up to as an example to push forward.
Wayne said that every ethnicity has a pioneer. Willie was the first.
O'Ree's power in that respect can be seen in the example ofBlake Bolden. He inspired her to become the first black female hockey player to compete in the National Women's Hockey League and the first black female pro scout for the Los Angeles Kings.
She said that Willie has been an important part of her life as a Black professional hockey player. His words made me want to be the best version of myself and give back to the game. He is an inspiration and a legend. His legacy will continue to make hockey an icon for diversity, equity and inclusion.
O'Ree has always been more than a handshake, he's become a friend to many people. After being drafted by Los Angeles in 2007, Simmonds was introduced to O'Ree and now they share an agent in King. Over the years, a lot has changed for Simmonds, as a player and a person, but he has stayed close with O'Ree and learned a lot from him.
Willie's humility is the thing I've taken from him the most. I've never met a more humble man after everything he's gone through. I don't know anyone else who would want to give back as much as Willie has given. Willie has been a pillar in the hockey community since he broke into the NHL. He is a pioneer. He's an astronomer in my eyes. Without Willie, I wouldn't be where I am.
The first black player in hockey.
"For me, Willie was just as big as Robinson," he said. He should be seen that way throughout the sports world. If you don't know where you came from, you don't know where you're going. I took that to heart.
It's almost impossible for the players most impacted by O'Ree's legacy to not mention Robinson. Both were icons in their arenas for doing what no one else had, and over time they changed the perception of what players at the highest level would look like.
"Willie's the best hockey player of all time," said Dumba. To look to him as the first person that ever did it, breaking down the barriers that he did, is what I wanted to do. He made it possible for minorities to play. It's really special, because it means a lot and he knows what he went through during those times. It was a different time in the world.
Stewart admits it was difficult to appreciate what O'Ree went through. Stewart can better understand O'Ree's past because he is 37 years old and has experienced his own obstacles on and off the ice.
Stewart said that Willie was the first and only black hockey player. "That puts things in perspective when you have guys that paved the way for players to do it." He should be in the same room as Robinson. You can see how much of a fanJackie is, and that should be the equivalent of Willie in hockey. Willie's story and plight should be included with all the other stories when they dig up the archives of hockey.
More than 100 non-white players have appeared in NHL games since O'Ree's debut. The league is almost entirely white. The NHL's "Hockey Is For Everyone" is trying to spread a message of inclusion. The Hockey Diversity Alliance launched its own messaging to highlight racism in the league and call out white allies to amplify their voices.
Dumba said that they talk about a sense of loneliness among players of color. Willie was the only one in the entire league. We're all very proud of him, I think that's an incredible feat. He's a legend. He will always be a legend because he can break down that color barrier. He has been a beacon of hope.
O'Ree was part of a young Mark Fraser. Fraser was studying the stories of great Black athletes who would eventually inspire his own NHL career.
My first book report was aboutJackie Robinson. Fraser said that he had an interest in learning the story of Willie O'Ree, a hockey player and a Canadian kid. I've always admired Willie's ability to celebrate Black excellence and overcoming adversities with grace.
Fraser has not met O'Ree in person, but his journey has been marked by O'Ree's contributions to the sport. Fraser can remember a feeling of isolation in the NHL dressing rooms, not being able to speak up against the daily microaggressions that still exist. Fraser knew he was not alone in that battle. It was O'Ree who tackled it first to make it easier for others.
Fraser said that his legacy is much bigger than what he did on ice. That stuck with me. If Willie was able to get through these challenges in a time when it was harder to be resilient and overcome than it was when I was a child, then that 100 percent gave me strength and encouraged me to not let my race affect me.
We will never let his name die.
Bryant knows how to overcome a challenge. He was the first Black class president at West Point and is a successful film producer and businessman.
But nothing could prepare him for walking with O'Ree.
Bryant had to go through an NHL arena with Willie O'Ree. There are 10,000 people coming up to him. I can't tell you how many people he's met that love him, they will do anything for him. He would do anything for anyone. Willie's personality is his love for the game and his desire to include everyone. That's his magic.
In the sports documentary "Willie," McBride captured that essence, and he reflected on what it taught him about O'Ree's legacy. He remembers going to O'Ree's house and seeing his Order of Canada award on the wall, next to his plaques for earning employee of the month from a security guard job. O'Ree believes that all work is equal. The work has value.
What makes him different? It's easy to be bitter, but Willie is all about providing opportunities looking forward. He's not looking back. He's lived through that and it's hard, but he's talked about it with candor, and he's looking forward. How do we make it better? That's his slogan, and it has served him well.
Bryant McBride was an executive producer of the "Willie" documentary.
O'Ree seems destined to travel until he can't anymore. O'Ree was wondering what's next after being in the Hall of Fame.
"He said that his job is not done; he still has plenty of things to do and accomplish," King said. He was talking about his work with the NHL programs. He traveled to make sure he got the message across and that he helped kids. That is his lasting legacy to me. The color barrier was broken by him. He integrated the sport of hockey. He was a great hockey player as well.
O'Ree had a pure love for the game. O'Ree will raise his jersey in Boston to acknowledge that one person will change the lives of many.
"I think he'll be remembered as a man who went through a lot to get to the NHL, but he didn't stop there," he said. He continues to push for more equality and for other people who look like him to be able to enjoy this game.
His name will never be lost. I can tell you that it will never die.
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