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Tag Archives: Devante Smith-Pelly

Hockey Family Photo Album, Page 2

08 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Devante Smith-Pelly, Ice Hockey in Harlem, Isaiah Saville, Tri-City Storm

The pictures and stories of hockey players of color just keep on coming, proving that these folks aren’t unicorns. Minorities in the game are plentiful, visible and here to stay. Here’s Page Two of your Hockey Family Photo Album.

Jazmin Malinowski, a goaltender for McKendree University in Illinois, playing for the United States in March at the 2019 Winter World University Games in Krasnoyarsk, Russia (Photo/Courtesy Erin Malinowski).

“Jazmin declared that she would be a goalie when she was 2 years old, played her first game at 5, plays for McKendree University and is currently at the World University Games on Team USA,” mom Erin Malinowski wrote (Photo/Courtesy Erin Malinowski).

Isiah Saville, left, is a goalie for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. He helped guide Team USA the 2018 World Junior A Challenge championship in Alberta in December. He’s the USHL’s top goaltender and is ranked the eighth-best 2019 draft-eligible North American goalie by NHL Central Scouting (Photo/Courtesy Isaiah Saville).

Players from Detroit’s Clark Park outdoor skating rink and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Trevor Daley, center (Photo/Courtesy Al LaBarrie).

Joel “Chef Jojo” Thomas, left, Donnie “DJ” Shaw, center, and Robert “Dodger” Stuckey at Fort Dupont Ice Arena Marathon Hockey Game fundraiser for the rink (Photo/Courtesy Joel “Chef Jojo” Thomas).

Jackson Kuls, 13, defense, New York City Cyclones. “He learned to play hockey with Ice Hockey in Harlem where he learned about the game and the legacy of black players,” Joycelyn Kuls wrote. “At 5’10’’ 190 lbs, his nickname is Buff after his favorite player, Dustin Byfuglien.”

Chloe Brinson, defense. (Photo/Via Black Girl Hockey Club).

Craiden Jones, 11, Atlanta, Georgia. “Craiden fell in love with the sport after seeing kids playing hockey in the former Atlanta Thrashers practice facility in Duluth Ga.,” dad Craig Jones wrote. “Craiden began taking skating lessons at 6 years old and eventually earned a spot on the Duluth Phoenix All-Star team in his first season in 2015. Craiden’s love and passion for hockey continues to grow and currently plays for the Atlanta Kings travel team.” (Photo/Courtesy Craig Jones).

Russell Jean-Pierre. “Russell is an offensive defensemen who plays for the Ottawa Sting team in Canada,” mom Katie Russell wrote. “His team has had a successful year and currently fighting for the gold title in their league! (Photo/Courtesy Katie Russell).

Elijah Bryan, left, Oliver King and Michael Holland. “They have been hockey ‘brothers’ for years,” mother Michelle King wrote. “Sometimes they play together, sometimes on different teams. Michael and Elijah play high school hockey together at Newton North High School in Newton, Ma. Oliver plays prep school hockey at Worcester Academy in Worcester, Ma. (Photo/Courtesy Michelle King).

Arvin Atwal, defense, Cincinnati Cyclones,ECHL (Photo/Courtesy Cincinnati Cyclones).

Isaac Kaczmarowski. “We live in Wausau, Wis., and Isaac has skated since he was 4,” dad Tim Kaczmarowski wrote. “(He’s) 13 now and this was his first year of bantams. The medal pictures are from this year’s Badger State Games Bantam B tournament where they lost in the championship game after sudden death and a shootout (heartbreaker).” (Photo/Courtesy Tim Kaczmarowski).

This is me and my teammate Tracy Robinson last season pic.twitter.com/WY2I02yUWs

— Trevor Towindo (@2thewindo) March 3, 2019

Ross Mitton, forward for the USHL’s Lincoln Stars. He’s committed to play for Northeastern University next season (Photo/Courtesy Ross Mitton).

Grant Thomas Powers, 10, Rochester Youth Hockey Americans (Photo/Courtesy Phillippa Powers).

The NextGEN AAA Foundation team that played in the 2018 Chowder Cup in suburban Boston (Photo/Courtesy Dee Dee Ricks).

 

National Capital Hockey Tournament Director John F. Cotten (right) and Gonzaga College High School goaltender Jalen Greene at the 2018 MAPHL Championship game (Photo/Courtesy John F. Cotten).

Jason Payne, assistant coach,Cincinnati Cyclones,ECHL (Photo/Courtesy Cincinnati Cyclones).

Kyson Yarbrough, 10. (Photo/Courtesy Tracy Ames).

This is my son Willie. He's 10 yrs old and loves hockey! pic.twitter.com/DSTO649L7o

— Jennifer Gona (@jennifer_gona) March 2, 2019

Grayson and Julian Badger share a moment in the penalty box in 2012 (Photo Courtesy Al Badger).

Grayson Badger playing high school hockey last season in Massachusetts (Photo/Courtesy Al Badger).

Derek Arledge, coaching and conferring with referees at a Maryland youth hockey game (Photo/Courtesy Derek Arledge).

pic.twitter.com/zmAgNRC0HH

— Roger Lee (@Roger_Lee35) March 2, 2019

Nigel Wilson-Phillippi, 8. “We live in Maryland, but he plays for the Delaware Patriots White Mite A team in Newark, DE and the Tucker Road Ducks in Prince George’s County, Maryland,” mom Cheri Wilson wrote. “He wore #25 this year for Devante Smith-Pelly, who is now #23 on the Hershey Bears (Photo/Courtesy Cheri Wilson).

Devon Ledford, Baltimore (Photo/Courtesy Devon Ledford).

Love your site! Here’s my 15 y.o…Loves hockey more than anything! Dream is to play in the NHL. Works everyday to make himself better! Ready for the OHL in pursuit of his dream! 💪🏾🔥🏒 pic.twitter.com/inEFSP9470

— Stacy Powell (@StacyPo6734) March 3, 2019

Jaxson Brown, 15 of Charlotte, North Carolina. Bantam AA Carolina Rage. (Photo/Courtesy Eurnestine Brown)

@ColorOfHockey A mother daughter pair of black players. Me and my baby! pic.twitter.com/bDWqMzmd7V

— Cheryl Bascomb (@CherylBascomb) March 2, 2019

The 1995 Can-Am champion Detroit Rockies (Photo/Courtesy Joe Doughrity).

Blake Donovan (Photo/Courtesy Regina Donovan).

pic.twitter.com/fCB7dNXdlh

— Tyson Clinton (@tclints) March 3, 2019

Cameron Murray of Avon Youth Hockey Pee Wee/Squirt In House Team. “Hockey is the sport that accepts all, no matter what,” mom Deb Murray wrote.

#HockeyIsForEveryone pic.twitter.com/rtEzbdMgtG

— D Garrett (@3yearoldskater) March 3, 2019

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

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Capitals greet black youth hockey player who was racially taunted and the teammates who stood by him

15 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Devante Smith-Pelly, Divyne Apollon, John Carlson, Metro Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals

After enduring hurtful racist taunts at a Maryland youth hockey game recently, Divyne Apollon II was showered with hockey love at Monday’s Washington Capitals-St. Louis Blues game in D.C.

Divyne and his Maryland Metro Maple Leafs teammates had prime seats for the game a 4-1 Blues win – courtesy of Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly and defenseman John Carlson.

Divyne Apollon II and his Metro Maple Leafs teammates meet Washington Capitals players John Carlson, left, and Devante Smith-Pelly at Capital One Arena (Photo/Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography)

“It was a good game,” Divyne said with a smile. “It would have been better if they (Capitals) won.”

Divyne, a 13-year-old defenseman, and his team visited the Capitals locker room after the game and met Smith-Pelly, Carlson, forward Alex Ovechkin goaltender Braden Holtby and defenseman Brooks Orpik.

Divyne Apollon II and his the Metro Maple Leafs were thrilled to meet Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin Monday night after the Caps-St. Louis Blues game (Photo/Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography).

Divyne left the room clutching autographed sticks from Ovechkin, Smith-Pelly and Carlson. Being a good teammate, he gifted a stick given to him by Holtby to Maple Leafs goalie Alex Auchincloss.

“I’m overwhelmed from the support I’m seeing,” Metro Maple Leafs Head Coach Brad Howington said, looking around the locker room. “You didn’t think anything was going to come out this.  All the support that has come out of this has been great. The kids are having a blast.”

Divyne Apollon Sr. talks hockey with Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly (Photo/Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography).

Asked about how he felt about the team that taunted him – identified by The Washington Post as the Old York Road Raiders – Divyne said he felt sorry for the suburban Philadelphia team.

“I guess they’re pretty angry at home because they didn’t get to meet Ovie because of their actions,” he said. “It was really cool that they (Capitals) reached out to us and invited us to the game and let us meet them at the end.”

The players of the Metro Maple Leafs shared laughs, photos and words of encouragement with the Caps on Monday night. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/dObTJAPFZH

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 15, 2019

The Capitals players heard about the racist abuse that Divyne has endured on the ice – most recently at a tournament in Maryland a few weeks ago – and appreciated the way that his teammates stood up for him.

“I’ve gone through it when I was younger and at this stage as well,” Smith-Pelly told reporters earlier in the day.

Washington Capitals forward Devente Smith-Pelly meets Maryland’s Metro Maple Leafs (Photo?Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography).

He was referring to the February 2018 incident at Chicago’s United Center where some so-called hockey “fans” “racially taunted him as sat in the penalty box. The Chicago Blackhawks organization reacted swiftly to the episode,  banning the culprits from home games.

Smith-Pelly said he was impressed by how Divyne’s teammates handled their business and rallied around their teammate after he was racially abused at the Maryland tournament.

Meet Maryland’s Metro Maple Leafs (Photo/Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography).

“One thing that kind of stood out is how his teammates had his back as 13-year-old kids fighting for their friends and that brings you back to when stuff happened with me when I was younger and now,” Smith-Pelly added. “Guys on my team always had my back, too. So, I thought it was good to recognize the team as well for standing up for their teammate.”

Carlson told the young players “You guys are the future, and by doing what you did are standing up for each other and standing up for yourselves.”

“That’s what we need to move forward,” he added. “You guys are just kids. You made things right.”

Metro Maple Leafs parents did their part, too. Hockey mom Tammi Lynch designed a sticker with the word “racism” and a red hockey stick slashed across it. She gave copies to players and parents to wear to register their disgust about Divyne’s on ice treatment.

A little button makes a big statement. Members of the Metro Maple Leafs sported anti-racism buttons on their jerseys at Monday’s Capitals-Blues game (Photo/Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography)

The hockey world has embraced the symbol. The team has received scores of request for copies of the stickers for players to put on their helmets or sticks.

John Carlson and Devante Smith-Pelly talk about inviting the Metro Maple Leafs to tonight's game. #ALLCAPS #CapsCare pic.twitter.com/vmEEAIZpgJ

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 14, 2019

And others folks in the hockey community showed their solidarity with Divyne and the Maple Leafs in different ways.

Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban sent a video message encouraging Divyne and Ty Cornett, a 13-year-old hockey player of color from Detroit who also has been subjected to on-ice racist taunts, to keep on keeping on and not let the negativity of others deter them.

Divyne’s father, Divyne Apollon Sr., said he was surprised and touched by the outpouring of support from the Capitals and others in hockey.

“This is like Disney World,” the father said of the outpouring of support. “The message is this game is for everybody. You don’t segregate people by their color, period. You’re brought here to play hockey, it’s a team sport. You play it to build character, not to destroy people.”

Divyne Apollon II, 13, was all smiles after he met Devante Smith-Pelly, John Carlson, Alex Ovechkin and other Washington Capitals players (Photo/Courtesy Washington Capitals Photography).

And the younger Divyne had his own message for other kids of color who may be experiencing the racist hockey hate that he’s suffered through on the ice.

“Don’t worry about it,” he told reporters. “If you want to play the game, play it.”

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

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Washington Capitals roll out welcome for the Black Girl Hockey Club’s first meeting

16 Sunday Dec 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Black Girl Hockey Club, Devante Smith-Pelly, Earl Stafford, Kim Davis, Madison Bowey, Washington Capitals

All Renee Hess wanted was a little company.

“I had never seen two black women at a hockey game before,” said Hess, a Riverside, California resident who likes to attend Anaheim Ducks games. “So I made it my mission this year to make that happen.”

Mission accomplished, big time.  Hess’ organization, the Black Girl Hockey Club, held its inaugural meetup at the Washington Capitals–Buffalo Sabres game Saturday night at D.C.’s Capital One Arena.

The Black Girl Hockey Club meet members of the Washington Capitals after a game between the Buffalo Sabres and Capitals at Capital One Arena (Photo/ Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images).

More than 40 women of color traveled from across the country to join Hess and witness Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly notch his 100th National Hockey League career point in Washington’s 4-3 shootout win over Buffalo.

The game was exciting but so, too, was the sight of so many women of color and their hockey-playing children quickly bonding by sharing their experiences of being minorities in love with and involved in a predominately white sport.

“The more I started talking to women who were hockey fans, the more I realized that so many hadn’t been to games because they didn’t feel comfortable going to games or they didn’t know anybody who was going to go with them,” said Hess, an associate professor of English at La Sierra University in Riverside.

Black Girl Hockey Club Founder Renee Hess meets Washington Capitals defenseman Madison Bowey after a game between the Buffalo Sabres and Capitals (Photo/ Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images).

“Doing this in D.C., it turned into this big ‘ol thing that snowballed. Once people started hearing about it they were telling their friends – that one black friend who plays hockey,” she added. “We’re not islands, we just didn’t know the others existed. So what I wanted to do is make us more visible.”

Hess identified Washington as the perfect spot for the first meetup because the Capitals have two black players, Smith-Pelly and defenseman Madison Bowey; two black part-owners in Earl Stafford and Sheila Johnson; and the team won the Stanley Cup last season.

Washington also has a strong minority hockey history with the presence of the
Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, North America’s oldest minority-oriented youth hockey program.

Members of the Black Girl Hockey Club enjoy the game between the Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres in D.C. Saturday night (Photo/Washington Capitals).

The Capitals and the National Hockey League – including Kim Davis, the league’s  executive vice president of social impact, growth and legislative affairs -rolled out the welcome mat for BGHC.

Stafford hosted a pre-game reception and spoke to the group in a conference room at Capital One Arena. Shandor Alphonso, the NHL’s only black on-ice official, stopped by with the rest of the officiating crew that worked Saturday’s game  and talked about what life is like wearing referee zebra stripes.

Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly signs Black Girl Hockey Club member Corinne McIntosh-Douglas’ jersey (Photo/Oyin Adedoyin/Morgan State University).

“I had not known of this organization, a gathering of those you typically wouldn’t expect to see at a hockey game,” Stafford told NHL.com. “It just encourages me that there are people out there interested in this great sport and we want to tell their story.”

Even Slap Shot, the Capitals mascot popped in to give high-fives and pose for pictures with the women and their kids. He brought along the mascots for the Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Washington Nationals baseball team and Washington Wizards basketball team.

Lonnie Bunch III, the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, was on hand to witness the historic event and attend his first NHL game.

Lonnie Bunch III, founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, attends his first NHL game and meets the Black Girl Hockey Club rocking a Devante Smith-Pelly jersey (Photo/Jackie Jones).

Friday, the BGHC members were given a personal tour of the popular museum with sports curator Damion Thomas as their guide. The women took a tour of Capitol Hill’s Capitol Visitor’s Center Friday morning, courtesy of Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a member of the Congressional Hockey Caucus.

After Saturday’s game, the group met and chatted with Smith-Pelly, Bowey, goaltender Braden Holtby, defenseman Brooks Orpik, and center Nic Dowd.

What a night! Devante Smith-Pelly scored his 100th career point and met Renee Hess, founder of the Black Girl Hockey Club #BGHC #hockeyisforeveryone #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/uud1nVAOJi

— TheColorOfHockey (@ColorOfHockey) December 16, 2018

“This is great, Smith-Pelly said. “I didn’t think it would be possible to have a room full of full of black hockey fans, black women hockey fans. It’s awesome. To have the people in this room behind me, it’s pretty cool.”

“That’s a good organization that they started and hopefully it gets bigger and they continue to try to change the game,” Smith-Pelly added.

Bowey agreed.

“This shows the diversity that’s come a long way,” he said. “Willie O’Ree broke the barrier for us, and I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done. It’s awesome to see this and it makes me very proud that I can be one player of color to make it in the NHL.”

Black Girl Hockey Club meet member Flo Clemmons strikes a pose with Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (Photo/Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images).

For Florence Clemmons, who traveled from Rochester, New York, meeting the Capitals players, Stafford and Alphonso was great, but bonding with such a large group of  black female hockey fans was something truly special.

“I think it’s important to show folks what we’re really all about,” said Clemmons,  who is program director for the Genesee Valley Youth Hockey Club. “We are a culture of folks that really likes the sport, knows about the sport, and really wants to see the sport grow.”

Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik signs autographs for some of the kids who attended the Black Girls Hockey Club meetup at the Capitals-Buffalo Sabres game in D.C. Saturday (Photo/Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images).

Kelsey Koelzer, a defenseman for the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League, said it was “a no brainer” for her and her mother, Kristine, to attend the meetup.

“Being a current black female hockey player and getting to meet up with fellow black hockey fans in general, it was something I knew I had to be a part of,” Koelzer said.  “I was surprised about the numbers, but really not surprised. I think the sport is growing a lot and catching on. Getting to do this in this setting, at an NHL game, is really, really special.”

Hess and her fellow BGHC members promise that Saturday’s meetup won’t be a one-off. BGHC, along with the Color of Hockey, are planning a February 10 gather in Tennessee for the Nashville Predators-St. Louis Blues match followed by the NWHL All-Star Game.  

“I know our numbers are going to grow, this being the first time,” Clemmons said. “I know once this becomes national, there’s no stopping us.”

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

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Washington Capitals’ black owners say Cup win helps expand hockey’s minority reach

23 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Devante Smith-Pelly, Earl W. Stafford, Sheila Johnson, Washington Capitals

Sheila Johnson didn’t know much about hockey when she joined the Washington Capitals ownership group in 2009 beyond the fact that there weren’t many black people on the ice or in the stands. Or in the owner’s box.

“The problem that I had in the beginning was I just felt I was the only African-American,” she said. “Sitting up in the owner’s box I felt I was by myself, trying to understand the game and feeling part of the owners group…sometimes it’s hard to be the only one.”

Washington Capitals ownership partner Sheila Johnson believes that “We’ve got to get more people of color to the game, in the game, in the front office of the NHL,”

Johnson had company in the box when Earl W. Stafford joined the ownership team, but the two wealthy African-American entrepreneurs still struggled to shake that feeling of isolation.

“I knew of a Wayne Gretzky and a Bobby Orr, I heard of them,” Stafford said. “But I had no interest (in hockey) because I didn’t see us. I had no interest. It wasn’t for us. We didn’t play it.”

What a difference winning a Stanley Cup in a majority African-American city makes. Johnson and Stafford have developed into hockey aficionados and they see a growing interest in the game among people of color, sparked by the Capitals’ victory over the Vegas Golden Knights and the playoff heroics of Capitals right wing  Devante Smith-Pelly.

Washington Capitals ownership partner Earl W. Stafford shares a tender moment with the Stanley Cup.

“There were times I faked it and did all the high-fiving, I didn’t know what I was looking at, but I kept watching and kept watching,” she said of her early hockey education and evolution. “But this year, just seeing how the team has grown and progressed,  it got to be exciting because I really started to understand what was going on.”

She basked in the accomplishments of Smith-Pelly. He scored three goals in the final three games against the Golden Knights, including the smooth Game 5 third period tally that he slid  – while airborne – past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury that tied the game at 3.

The Capitals went on to win the Cup-clinching game 4-3. Smith-Pelly finished the playoffs with 7 goals and 1 assist in 24 games. The Capitals rewarded the third-line forward by re-signing him to a one-year, $1 million deal.

“He helped them win the game,” Johnson said of Smith-Pelly. “The thing that really bothered me was he wasn’t given the credit, the media credit. It was like he didn’t do anything. And these are the things we’ve got to correct.”

Johnson and Stafford say they’re doing their part to spread the gospel of hockey in the minority community. Johnson has used the personal touch, taking friends, business acquaintances, and employees of color to games as her guests.

“I’ve been able to bring new eyes and ears to the game,” she said. “A couple of friends of mine have young African-American children who have gotten into hockey, and gotten really good. I feel as though I’ve been able to do a service in that respect of really talking about and being part of the whole hockey scene now. There have been more and more people of color who have felt comfortable coming to the games.”

Stafford has taken a philanthropic approach. A faith-based nonprofit organization that he runs to help disadvantaged and under-severed people purchased 25 tickets for each Capitals home games and distributed them through D.C. area public schools to deserving children to expose them to hockey.

“I also offered them to young professionals – our young 25 to 45-to-50 -year-olds who now have grasped this thing and say ‘Well, I understand it better and it’s exciting,'” Stafford said.

Washington Capitals ownership partner Earl W. Stafford (right) and wife Amanda Stafford are all smiles with the Stanley Cup.

But there’s still more to do. Sure, Johnson and Stafford want people of color to witness and appreciate the skills of Smith-Pelly, Capitals defenseman Madison Bowey, Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds, Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban and other minority hockey players in the National Hockey League.

They also want minority fans to look beyond the action on the ice and see the possibilities on the business and coaching sides of the game – the final frontier for minorities in the sport.

“I think it’s incumbent upon us to let people know that you can participate in the sport as a referee, in coaching, on the business side, even in the ownership, that that’s available,” Stafford said. “People talk about ‘We’ve got a black player.’ Let’s talk about black ownership, let’s expand that perspective.”

He added that “there also has to be education on both sides of the aisle.”

“We have to educate those who don’t look like us, those who feel that it’s just a white-only sport, those who would throw banana peels, and have them understand, like I just recently became aware of, the contributions that blacks have made from the 1890s on up in the (Canadian Maritimes) Colored League up there, and the participation and contributions that we continue to make,” Johnson said.

David L. Steward, co-founder and board chairman of World Wide Technology, owns a piece of the St. Louis Blues.

Johnson and Stafford are among three African-Americans who own stakes in NHL teams. David L. Steward, co-founder and board chairman of World Wide Technology, owns a piece of the St. Louis Blues.

The three are among the wealthiest African-Americans in the country. Johnson is chair and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, which has luxury properties in Virginia, Florida and Louisiana.

The co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, Johnson ranked 30th on Forbes magazine’s 2018 list of America’s richest self-made women.

She is also an influential figure in the sports world. Johnson is vice chair of  Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the Capitals, the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association, and the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

She’s president and managing partner of the Mystics and the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams. Johnson also serves on the executive committee of the United States Golf Association.

Stafford is CEO and founder of the Wentworth Group LLC, a  Virginia-based private equity and consulting firm.

His nonprofit Stafford Foundation created The People’s Inaugural Project, which brought hundreds of disadvantaged people to Washington for President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.

He served on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities during Obama’s administration.  Stafford received the Horatio Alger Award in 2010.  

Stafford and Johnson are partners in a Washington Capitals franchise that has a rich history when it comes to black hockey players. Eleven have played for the Caps since the team’s inception in 1974-75.

Forwards Mike Marson and Bill Riley became the NHL’s second and third black players in the Capitals’ inaugural season. Center Reggie Savage made hockey history in 1992-93 when he became only one of five NHL players to score his first career goal on a penalty shot.

Washington Capitals forward Reggie Savage scored his first NHL goal on a penalty shot in 1992 (Photo/Washington Capitals).

Before Smith-Pelly became synonymous with Stanley Cup Playoffs excellence in Washington, there was right wing Joel Ward. In 2012, he scored a Game 7 overtime goal past Tim Thomas that eliminated the Boston Bruins from the playoffs and launched some Beantown fans into a racist social media frenzy.

In the 2015 playoffs, Ward scored a game-winning goal with one second left that beat goalie Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers.

Forward Donald Brashear gave the Capitals muscle with his fighting skills. Forwards Anson Carter and Mike Grier  provided goal-scoring.  Defensemen Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre and Jason Doig patrolled the blue line in their brief stints with the team.

Johnson and Stafford, who’ll receive Stanley Cup championship rings next month, hope to see more minority players and fans rocking the Capitals’ home red jersey in the future. They also hope that owner’s suites throughout the league become more diverse.

“We’ve got to get more people of color to the game, in the game, in the front office of the NHL,” Johnson said.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

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Caps’ Smith-Pelly does the rounds with Stanley Cup at Toronto area pub, hospital

07 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Alex Ovechkin, Chris Stewart, Devante Smith-Pelly, Stanley Cup, Washington Capitals

Talk about Soul on Ice.

Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly had a cool day with the Stanley Cup Monday complete with an ice sculpture likeness of him in at a Scarborough, Ontario, pub hoisting the treasured trophy.

Washington Capitals right wing Devante-Smith Pelly.

Hundreds of fans braved torrential rain in the Toronto area to venture to the Black Dog Pub to get a glimpse of the Cup and the man of the hour.

“When I saw it start to rain, I didn’t know what to expect,” Smith-Pelly told NHL.com. “To see the line of people snaked around and down the block, I’m so excited…I  mean, you want to bring the Stanley Cup where you grew up. I grew up right down the street from here and used to come here and hang out.”

Chris Stewart, a forward who skated for the Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames last season, was among the water-logged faithful at the Black Dog.

“He’s come a long way. I’m proud of him,” said Stewart, who has 160 goals and 161 assists in 652 National Hockey League games. “He stuck it out and now he’s on top.”

How cool is this? Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly and an ice sculpture likeness of him with Stanley Cup (Photo/Courtesy Phil Prtichard/HHOF).

The Black Dog Pub wasn’t Smith-Pelly’s only stop with Stanley on Monday. He took the Cup to downtown Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and showed off the trophy to family and close friends in private moments.

Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff’s most valuable player, but Smith-Pelly also had a heroic Stanley Cup run.

Devante Smith-Pelly with Toronto Mayor John Tory, left, and some young hockey fans (Photo/Courtesy Phil Pritchard/HHOF).

He tallied 7 goals and 1 assist in 24 playoff games; potted a goal in three consecutive Stanley Cup Final games against the Vegas Golden Knights; netted the game-winning goal in Game 4; scored the tying goal in Cup-clinching Game 5, a highlight reel kick-the-puck-onto-the-stick and fly-in-the-air snipe past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury; and the series-clinching goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Not bad for a guy who only scored 7 goals and 9 assists in 75 games and averaged 12:21 minutes of ice time per game during the regular season and 12:02 minutes per game in the playoffs.

Devante Smith-Pelly has a little quiet time with the Stanley Cup and his grandparents, who rocked the Washington Capitals red hockey jerseys (Photo/Courtesy Phil Pritchard/HHOF).

“There’s been some struggles,” Smith-Pelly told NHL.com. But at the same time, I’m not the first guy to go through it and I won’t be the mast. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. You’ve got to go out there and do what you have to do.”

Smith-Pelly’s playoff prowess made Capitals fans love him. And Smith-Pelly fell in love with Washington. So much so that he rejected contract offers from other teams with longer terms and more money to sign one-year, $1 million deal to return to the Capitals.

Ain’t no party like a Stanley Cup party. Washington Capitals’ Devante Smith-Pelly shares the Stanley Cup with some of his long-time buddies (Photo/Courtesy Phil Pritchard/HHOF).

“It wasn’t worth it to leave somewhere where I’m happy and somewhere where I really want to be,” Smith-Pelly told the Associated Press in June. “The money to me personally is not that important if I’m not going to be happy somewhere else.”

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

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Ex-Caps Mike Marson and Bill Riley bask in Devante Smith-Pelly’s Stanley Cup heroics

12 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Bill Riley, Devante Smith-Pelly, Mike Marson, Stanley Cup, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals

Mike Marson wasn’t able to make it to D.C. Tuesday to witness the Washington Capitals’ Stanley Cup victory parade with other Caps alumni members –  he was grounded by the ravages of rheumatoid arthritis.

But Marson was hooting and rooting from afar, basking in the glow of a championship won by the team that made him the National Hockey League’s second black player when it drafted him in its inaugural season in 1974.

“They had some tremendous play from (Alex) Ovechkin, Mr. Devante Smith-Pelly, (Braden) Holtby,” Marson told me. “So many guys played well.”

Former Washington Capitals forward Mike Marson is thrilled that his team finally won the Stanley Cup.

He had special praise for Smith-Pelly, a fellow black player from Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, who came up big in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 7 goals and 1 assist in 23 post-season games.

“He was heroic. He scored the most-important goals, I believe,” Marson said. “I take my hat off to Devo. A lot of hard work there, a little bit of rough water occasionally, I think, but good for him. He came out the superstar and was all that he could be.”

Smith-Pelly scored three goals in the final three goals in the final three games against the Vegas Golden Knights, none bigger than the smooth (real smooth, reeaall smooth) Game 5 third-period tally he slid past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury that tied the game at 3.

Capitals center Lars Eller scored the game-winning goal that secured a 4-3 win and the Cup for the Capitals. But without Smith-Pelly’s acrobatic goal, there’s no go-ahead goal by Eller.

Embed from Getty Images

Actor Denzel Washington may be The Equalizer in movie theaters this summer, but Smith-Pelly nailed the role on ice in Las Vegas last Thursday night, much to Marson’s delight.

Washington Capitals forward Mike Marson, circa 1974-75.

Marson was so thrilled by the right wing’s Game 5 goal that he threw a cushion at his television – an odd family tradition.

“When my dad, myself and my Uncle Romeo used to watch hockey, when something went one way or the other, we would throw out cushions at the TV and laugh, of course,” he said.

After the ceremonial cushion toss, Marson grabbed the phone and called Bill Riley, who became the NHL’s third black player when he joined Marson on the Capitals in 1974-75, to compare notes on what they just witnessed.

Mike Marson scored 16 goals in his rookie season with the Capitals in 1974-75. (Photo/Washington Capitals archives).

Riley, who played right wing, summed up Smith-Pelly’s Game equalizer to me in four emailed words: “Gives me goosebumps. Wicked.”

Marson and Riley take pride in Smith-Pelly’s Stanley Cup success because, like them, he has overcome.

Washington Capitals right wing Devante-Smith Pelly.

He’s overcome the racist ignorance of “fans” who taunted him with chants of “basketball” as he sat in the penalty box in Chicago in February during a game against the Blackhawks.

Marson endured racist taunts and death threats during his four seasons with the Capitals, a turbulent time chronicled in Canadian filmmaker Damon Kwame Mason’s seminal black hockey history documentary, “Soul on Ice: Past, Present and Future.”

Still, Marson managed to score 24 goals and 24 assists in 196 NHL regular season games from 1974-75 to his final three games with the Los Angeles Kings in 1979-80.

Riley still recalls when “fans” in Detroit dismissively referred to him and Marson as “round ball players.” The racist indignities on and off the ice didn’t deter Riley from scoring 31 goals and 30 assists in 139 games with Washington and the Winnipeg Jets from 1974-75 to 1979-80.

Bill Riley and Mike Marson were teammates on the Washington Capitals in the mid-1970s. Both are proud as parents about Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly’s Stanley Cup Final success (Photos/Washington Capitals archives).

Both retired Caps are overjoyed that Smith-Pelly kept on keeping on after being cast aside and doubted by the Anaheim Ducks, the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2010, the Montreal Canadiens, and New Jersey Devils.

A free agent, he signed with the Capitals before the start of the 2017-18 season for the league minimum $650,000. He dutifully played on the Capitals fourth line, a checking line that didn’t get big minutes during the regular season.

Embed from Getty Images

“I was in touch with Devante,” Marson said. “Devo’s a Scarborough guy and this and that. He endured as a player, kept getting better every game, and was playing with confidence.”

Devante Smith-Pelly crushing beers in a WWE belt before noon is a big mood (via @Capitals) pic.twitter.com/BXrOwEoiJk

— SI Extra Mustard (@SI_ExtraMustard) June 12, 2018

Smith-Pelly made the most of his opportunities, notching 7 goals and 9 assists in 75 regular season games. Then came the Playoffs, The Goal, The Cup and The Parade.

“Devo was able to make it happen,” Marson said.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

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Devante Smith-Pelly scores his biggest goal, helps power Capitals to Stanley Cup

08 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Devante Smith-Pelly, Stanley Cup Final, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals

It’s like whenever the Washington Capitals needed a third goal, it had Devante Smith-Pelly’s name on it.

Washington Capitals right wing Devante Smith-Pelly.

For the third time in three Stanley Cup Final games, Smith-Pelly scored the Capitals’ third goal of the game Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights – and perhaps the biggest one of his career.

The big right wing’s third period tally tied the game at 3. Moments later, Capitals center Lars Eller scored the go-ahead goal, securing Washington’s 4-3 victory and the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s amazing” Smith-Pelly told NBC Sports’ Jeremy Roenick. “I was just trying to do my job.The big guys are going to get their points. Us bottom six guys, we knew if we contributed, those guys were going to score. And if we chipped in, we were going to be successful.”

Smith-Pelly said the Capitals didn’t panic when Vegas held a 3-2 lead in the third period.

“We pushed through that all season long,” he said. “We’ve been doubted all year. We knew we were going to get some looks and we just needed to capitalize, and that’s what we did.”

Embed from Getty Images

Hoisting the Cup and notching the game-tying goal capped a season of redemption for Smith-Pelly, a 2012 Anaheim Ducks second round draft pick who was viewed as an under-achiever after he tallied 5 goals in 12 playoff games for the Ducks in 2013-14.

Embed from Getty Images

He was dealt by the Ducks to the Montreal Canadiens  then moved to the New Jersey Devils before he signed with the Capitals before the 2017-18 season.

Used primarily as a checking forward, Smith-Pelly notched 7 goals and 9 assists in 75 regular season games in Washington.

He recaptured the playoff magic from his Anaheim days, scoring 7 goals and 1 assist in 24 post-season games for the Capitals.

Embed from Getty Images

Thursday’s win ended an eventful  Las Vegas trip for Smith-Pelly. The Scarborough, Ontario, Canada native, one of two black players on the Capitals, intimated that he wouldn’t go to the White House to celebrate the Cup win, if President Donald Trump invites the team.

“The things that he spews are straight-up racist and sexist,” Smith-Pelly told Michael Trakios of Postmedia News Wednesday. “Some of the things he’s said are pretty gross…It hasn’t come up here, but I think I already have made my mind up.”

Smith-Pelly will become the eighth black player to have his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup.

His name will join those of goaltenders Grant Fuhr (Edmonton Oilers – 1984, 1985, 1987, 1998, 1990), Eldon “Pokey” Riddick (Oilers – 1990) and Ray Emery (Chicago Blackhawks – 2013), forwards Dustin Byfuglien(Blackhawks -2013) and  Jamal Mayers (Blackhawks-2013), and defensemen Johnny Oduya (Blackhawks-2013, 2015) and Trevor Daley (Penguins – 2016, 2017).

Happy tears from the Smith-Pellys.☝️#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uFEDHkgWjY

— NHL (@NHL) June 8, 2018

Capitals rookie defenseman Madison Bowey could get his name on Stanley Cup.

Capitals rookie defenseman Madison Bowey didn’t play a minute in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he could still get his name on the trophy.

NHL rules state that a player must have at least 41 games played with the team or appear in at least one Stanley Cup Final game to qualify for name inscription. Bowey  played in 51 regular season games for Washington in 2017-18.

Bowey, who was called up from the Hershey Bears, the Capitals’ American Hockey League farm team, didn’t score a goal last season, but he did tally 12 assists in those 51 games.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

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Three is a magic number for Capitals’ Devante Smith-Pelly in Stanley Cup Final

05 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Devante Smith-Pelly, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals forward Devante-Smith Pelly.

Three seems to be a magic number for Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly.

Smith-Pelly scored the third Capitals goal in the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final Monday, a tally that gave home team Washington a 3-0 lead. The Capitals won the game 6-2.

Smith-Pelly’s performance Monday night wasn’t bad for a guy who got accidentally hit in the face with a puck by a teammate during the Capitals’ morning skate.

Saturday night, Smith-Pelly notched the Capitals third goal, a third-period tally that sealed Washington’s 3-1 win.

“I love playing in the playoffs. It’s fun,” Smith-Pelly told NBC Sports. “It just happens maybe I’m scoring goals at the right time. I don’t know. I love playing in the playoffs. That’s really the only way I can explain it.”

The goals Monday and Saturday further enhance Smith-Pelly’s reputation as a playoff performer. He now has 6 goals in 23 playoff games. He notched 7 goals in 75 regular season games in 2017-18.

As a member of the Anaheim Ducks, Smith-Pelly scored 5 goals during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

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Players of color play pivotal roles in 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs first round games

14 Saturday Apr 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Devante Smith-Pelly, Evander Kane, San Jose Sharks, Seth Jones, Washington Capitals

The Stanley Cup Playoffs have only just begun but players of color are already having a major impact in opening-round games.

From the East Coast to the West Coast, minority players played pivotal roles for their teams in first-round contests.

Forward Evander Kane showed why the San Jose Sharks obtained him from the Buffalo Sabres shortly before the trading deadline. He scored two second period goals in his first-ever National Hockey League playoff game, helping the Sharks defeat the Anaheim Ducks 3-0.

Who else but @evanderkane_9 to get the @SanJoseSharks their first 2018 #StanleyCup Playoff goal? pic.twitter.com/BcmlDo1AH9

— NHL (@NHL) April 13, 2018

EVANDER KANE AGAIN! UNREAL! 2-0 SHARKS!

#SJSharks 2 – 0 #LetsGoDucks pic.twitter.com/nTTjqaTyQQ

— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) April 13, 2018

The 26-year-old Vancouver native became the fourth player in the last 20 years to have a multiple goal game in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut, according to the NHL.

“It was nice to finally get out in the playoff atmosphere, and it was fun to finally get my first playoff win,” Kane told reporters after the game. “It’s finally nice to contribute. That’s my job. I feel confident in my abilities. I don’t think it was my best game, but I’m never going to be mad when we get a playoff win and I get to contribute.”

Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly flashed some of the playoff magic he displayed  four seasons ago as a member of the Ducks, scoring a third-period goal that gave the Caps a 3-2 lead over the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday night.

Embed from Getty Images

Not to be outdone, Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones scored a power play goal that tied the game at 3. The Blue Jackets won the game 4-3 in overtime, deflating the playoff euphoria inside Washington’s Capital One Arena.

In addition to his goal, Jones led all skaters in the game with 30:59 minutes of ice time, further building the case for his consideration for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s best defenseman.

Embed from Getty Images

Jones was tenth among NHL defensemen in scoring in the 2017-18 regular season with 16 goals and 41 assists in 78 games.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones.

“If he’s in Los Angeles, or he’s in Montreal, or in Toronto, or New York, we’re talking about this guy as a Norris Trophy candidate,” ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose told The Columbus Dispatch last month. “He does get overlooked, but not by hockey guys that see him play…Every GM in the NHL would love to have Seth Jones, and every coach would love to have him in their lineup. Those guys are very, very hard to find.”

Winnepeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien is another blueliner who’s come up big early in the playoffs.

Big Buff was an offensive and physical force in the Jets 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild Friday night.

He contributed a backhand saucer pass assist from behind the Wild net on teammate Paul Stastny’s third period goal and delivered crunching back-to-back hits on Minnesota players in the second period that energized the sellout crowd inside Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place.

Byfuglien logged a team-high 23:51 minutes of ice time Friday, helping him earn the game’s first star honor.

“Just another day at the office,” he told reporters afterward.

Wild rookie forward Jordan Greenway  is yet to score a goal in the series against the Jets.

But the former Boston University star did tally an assist Wednesday in the Wild’s 3-2 loss to Winnipeg on Wednesday and he continued to make hockey history as the first person to play in the Winter Olympics, the NCAA ice hockey tournament and the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the same year.

Never in the history of hockey has someone played in the @Olympics, the @NCAAIceHockey tournament and the @NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs in the same year.

Until now.
#ProudToBU pic.twitter.com/tw9rqwxMaN

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) April 11, 2018

Greenway became the first African American to play on a U.S. Olympic hockey team when he skated at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play

 

 

 

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Ex-Capitals Mike Marson and Bill Riley feel Smith-Pelly’s pain on racist taunts

22 Thursday Feb 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Chicago Blackhawks, Devante Smith-Pelly, Mike Marson, Washington Capitals, Willie O'Ree

PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA Mike Marson can relate to what Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly endured when four Chicago Blackhawks “fans” racially taunted him as he sat in the press box at the United Center last Saturday.

Mike Marson was drafted by the Washington Capitals at age 18 in 1974.

“One can only imagine what it must have felt like when a certain 18 year old was all by himself against such bad form on and off the ice,” Marson told me.

Marson doesn’t have to imagine it. He lived it his rookie year with the expansion Capitals in 1974-75. He was the National Hockey League’s second black player, entering the league 16 years after Willie O’Ree broke in with the Boston Bruins.

Marson expressed disgust that black players are being targeted with racial slurs and disdain for the fans – and sometimes players – who utter them.

“It’s a shame that pro hockey in all its greatness still has these low points,” he told me.

Bill Riley echoed Marson’s sentiment. Riley, a forward, joined the Capitals shortly after Marson. They say misery loves company, but Riley said he wouldn’t wish the racial vitriol that he and Marson endured on anyone.

“They referred to Mike Marson and I as round ball players in Detroit in the mid seventies and wasn’t (just) the fans,” Riley told me. “Hard to believe that garbage still exists 40 plus years later.”

The “fans” who were removed and subsequently banned from Blackhawks home games showered Smith-Pelly with a chorus of “basketball, basketball, basketball,” a not-too-thinly veiled message that he should be a power forward in the National Basketball Association, not the NHL.

Bill Riley and Mike Marson were teammates on the Washington Capitals in the mid-1970s. They experienced the same racists taunts that Capitals forward Devente Smith-Pelly endured in Chicago. Photos/Washngton Capitals).

“It’s pretty obvious what that means,” Smith-Pelly said of the taunts. “Whether it’s that word or any other word, I got the idea. And I’m sure they got the idea, too. Just one word, and that’s really all it takes.”

Marson and Riley didn’t go public about what they went through when they were playing.

Neither wanted to be viewed as complainers or malcontents because they thought it would be a sure way to get a one-way ticket to the minor leagues and hockey obscurity.

So they suffered in silence. Riley praises Smith-Pelly and other black players in the NHL for stepping up and speaking out against racist behavior on the ice and in the stands.

Pretty embarrassing that this still happens. Doesn't shock me though which is the saddest part of all. Those ppl should be banned from every rink in the NHL #ignorance @NHL @NHLBlackhawks

— Wayne Simmonds (@Simmonds17) February 19, 2018

Hockey is for everyone. If you think black athletes should only play basketball, than you clearly don’t know much about sports. There’s no room for racism in the rink or anywhere.

— Jt brownov (@JTBrown23) February 18, 2018

“Kudos to Smith-Pelly,” Riley said.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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