NHL, NHLPA launch Player Inclusion Coalition with Carter, Subban as chairs

The NHL and NHLPA are launching a new inclusion committee made up of current and former men’s and women’s players, with minority and LGBTQ+ representation, aimed at diversifying hockey and making the sport more welcoming.

The NHL Player Inclusion Coalition unveiled Tuesday is the latest step in a process started in the summer of 2020, when the police killing of George Floyd led to a worldwide reckoning on matters of race and racism. It comes on the heels of Pride night incidents around the league, when a handful of players refused to wear rainbow-coloured jerseys for warmups, leading officials to decide against teams wearing any themed uniforms next season.

The 20-member coalition is chaired by former NHL players P.K. Subban and Anson Carter, each of whom is Black, and includes retired U.S. women’s star Meghan Duggan, who is openly gay. Duggan, now the New Jersey Devils' director of player development, wants to be on the leading edge of helping a sport that has traditionally been slow to respond to social change within society.

“Ignorance is just not an excuse anymore,” Duggan said. “We have so many resources at our fingertips to understand: ‘What is the terminology for the queer community? What is the acronym? What are different, politically correct ways to address certain groups?’ The education is out there for people to understand, not necessarily exactly how to relate to someone from a marginalized community, but just how they can be an ally.”

The coalition starts with $1 million to use for contributions to grassroots programs, education and other special projects. Duggan called the group, which also includes current women’s players Sarah Nurse and Abby Roque, “action focused” and not just about one that holds meetings to complain about what’s wrong with diversity and inclusion in the sport.

That action means not only donating money to underserved communities but going into them and showing why hockey is for them. It’s a task that could take a generation to bear out, so kids and families are a focus.

“We have to make it a safe and nurturing environment for the parents to understand that it’s a safe place to put their kids,” said former player Jamal Mayers, who’s part of the group. “If they don’t think it’s a safe, nurturing place, you’re certainly not going to allow your kid to go into that avenue, so it’s important and incumbent upon the league as leaders of the sport to make sure that they’re creating an environment that’s safe and nurturing, so that parents feel like, ‘OK there’s an opportunity.’”

Some of the work also happens at the professional level.

Duggan said an important first step three years ago was educating executives on the need for minority and women’s representation in front offices, and meetings since then have centred around racial incidents in the minors and Pride nights. Specifically, Duggan said she and fellow coalition member Mark Fraser spoke to Toronto Maple Leafs players about Pride issues.

“It’s really trying to provide resources to players to be able to engage in the community and speak out and have a voice,” Duggan said. “I’ve been happy with some of the progress we’ve seen. I think we all know that there’s a long way to go, but steps are being taken.”

Below is an alphabetical list of the 20 members of the Coalition, and the organizations they support.

Cam Atkinson: Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education, a non-profit that uses the sport of hockey to educate and empower under-resourced youth of Philadelphia to prosper in the game of life.

Ethan Bear: Little Native Hockey League, an annual hockey tournament that brings together First Nation youth in Ontario for community-building and empowerment.

J.T. Brown: Seattle Pride Hockey Association, an organization committed to promoting and advocating for diversity and inclusiveness in the Pacific Northwest ice hockey community, with specific attention to LGBTQ+ inclusivity.

Blake Bolden: The Empowerment Effect, a mentorship program supporting young females in ice hockey, ages 7-16, from underserved communities in the Los Angeles area.

Madison Bowey: Detroit Ice Dreams Hockey Association, a youth hockey organization that minimizes the barriers that prevent underrepresented communities from access to ice hockey.

Anson Carter: The Atlanta Jr. Thrashers, a program that offers girls in the South opportunities to play hockey and develop into strong female leaders; and the Atlanta Sparks, a program that provides a fun and safe environment for athletes with special needs to play hockey.

Julie Chu: Caroline Ouellette Girls Hockey Celebration, an organization that aims to promote and develop female hockey via an all-girls hockey tournament with fun and competitive games.

Meghan Duggan: Hockey in New Jersey, an organization that inspires diverse youth to develop life skills, succeed academically, and create positive relationships through the sport of hockey; and Madison Gay Hockey Association, an all-gender hockey league for the LGBTQIA community in Madison, Wisconsin.

Mark Fraser: Seaside Hockey, a program that provides assistance to visible minority youths in the Greater Toronto Area to help more diverse children play hockey and gain life skills.

Chris Kreider: Ice Hockey in Harlem, an organization that offers ice hockey and off-ice programming that exposes young people in Harlem to experiences that prepare them for their future.

Brigette Lacquette: Siksika SN7, a group of youth and young adults who provide hockey programming alongside peer-to-peer support for young people in Siksika Nation.

Georges Laraque: Hockey 4 Youth, an organization that provides new Canadian youth with an opportunity to play ice hockey at no cost. Laraque’s grant helped launch a new program for girls in Grades 5-6 in the Saint-Laurent area of Montreal.

Jamal Mayers: North City Blues, a program for St. Louis students enrolled in KIPP schools and/or Friendly Temple that provides free instruction to learn ice hockey.

Al Montoya: The University of Texas at Arlington’s University Crossroads. Montoya’s grant will support a scholarship for students interested in a career in sports management, to inspire students from more backgrounds to consider careers in hockey.

Sarah Nurse: Seaside Hockey, a program that provides assistance to visible minority youths in the Greater Toronto Area to help more diverse children play hockey and gain life skills.

Ryan Reaves: Ice Hockey in Harlem, an organization that offers ice hockey and off-ice programming that exposes young people in Harlem to experiences that prepare them for their future.

Abby Roque: Clark Park Coalition Hockey, a program that offers recreational, educational, social, and mentoring programs for southwest Detroit families to help youth grow into responsible, self-confident adults.

Kevin Shattenkirk: Anaheim Family YMCA Youth Street Hockey League. Shattenkirk’s grant is being used to cover the registration fees for participants to help the program grow.

P.K. Subban: HEROS Hockey, an organization that uses the game of ice hockey to teach life-skills and empower marginalized youth by providing free hockey programming to youth across Canada.

Zach Whitecloud: Dakota Nation Winterfest Minor Hockey Tournament, an annual tournament that coincides with celebration of Indigenous culture. Whitecloud’s grant will be used to subsidize entry fees to reduce the cost for participating youth teams.