The Kings are also among a small group of NHL franchises that employ a Spanish-language radio broadcast team. After three seasons, he competed for Switzerland in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The NHL and NHLPA are celebrating the Hispanic and Latinx communities and their contributions to growing the game. Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Vezina trophy as the NHLs best goalie in 2018-19. The Aberdeen Wings joined the Central Division and played at the Odde Ice Center in Aberdeen, South Dakota. How Many Mexican Hockey Players Are There? Nathan MacKinnon, the top pick in the NHL draft, was named the leagues top rookie. List of NHL players born in Buffalo, New York. The New Jersey Devils Hockey in NJ program has strong support in Hispanic communities, as does the Philadelphia Flyers Snider Hockey program and Tampa Bays Lightning Made. For example, the popularity of basketball exploded in China after the Houston Rockets drafted Yao Ming. There is still one area of the world that the NHL has only made a few attempts to draw interest in, but it might be one of their best options. All Rights Reserved. Bob Condor /. The New Mexico Mustangs joined the South Division and played at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. With him on the team, the Leafs made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2013. [27] The Mahoning Valley Phantoms and the USNTDP left the league for the USHL. Latino hockey players have had a difficult time making it to the NHL. Two-time NHL All-Star and member of 2006 U.S. Olympic Team. The future looks bright for Dominican hockey players, and it will be exciting to see how they continue to progress in the years to come. The Dallas Stars hosted learn-to-play programs in Mexico City last season, and the Chicago Blackhawks launched Un Gol on the team website with translated stories and videos. Since its establishment in 1998, NHL Hispanic Heritage Month has celebrated the contributions of Hispanic and Latino players, coaches, and fans to the game of hockey. in: Players by Ethnic Background List of ice hockey players of Latin American descent View source Currently active players With NHL experience Names in italics have won the Stanley Cup. Ice Hockey Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. There are NHL fans who think Scott Gomez, born in Alaska from Mexican and Columbian parents, was the first player of Hispanic heritage to play in the NHL. The team does not have the resources or funds to compete with the best teams in the world. However, if we look at the countries represented in the National Hockey League (NHL) as of the 2019-2020 season, the most represented countries are Canada (with 52%), the United States (with 24%), and Sweden (with 10%). Should McDavid Get the Benefit of the Doubt From NHL Officials? Traverse City North Stars franchise purchased by the Soo Eagles and joined the league from Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. The Kraken are excited to share these stories and amplify the voices of Latinx and Hispanic community members. [6] The league consists of a variety of players from varying nationalities and diverse backgrounds. The trophy is awarded annually to the USA Hockey Tier II junior national playoff champion. Subscribe to ESPN+ 200708 season: Santa Fe Roadrunners moved to Topeka, Kansas, as the Topeka Roadrunners. This number has been steadily increasing since the late 1990s, when there were only a handful of black players in the league. Race was something he never really thought about, particularly on the ice. See Also List of Ice Hockey Players of Asian Descent List of ice hockey players of black African descent List of ice hockey players of Semitic descent Categories ", "Blacks and Hockey Maintain a Tenuous Relationship", "Thrashers Top NHL With Highest Percentage of Black Players", "CBC targets Chinese hockey fans with Mandarin broadcasts of NHL playoffs", "All Things Considered: As First Black American NHL Player, Enforcer Was Defenseless Vs. Racism", "Q&A: Robin Bawa on the journey that made him the first South Asian NHLer", "Tiger on the prowl around the Aces' goal", "Feschuk: Toronto teenager 'the elite of the elite', "Paul Kariya's Hall of Fame call sparks pride in Asian community", "Oilers' Jujhar Khaira carries pride of South Asian community", "Larry Kwong, the NHL's first player of color, passes away at 94", "Meet Manny Malhotra the only desi player in the National Hockey League", "Martinsen nekter rpe hvilken NHL-klubb som vil ha ham", "Jim Paek helping Korea's Olympic hockey team 'get better every day", "Former Wild player Richard Park instrumental in getting South Korean hockey off the ground", "Stars prospect Jason Robertson hasn't forgotten his roots while forging his own NHL path", "Former San Jose Sharks Player Devin Setoguchi signs with HC Davos of Switzerland", "Draft Day: Dylan Sikura's Journey to becoming a Chicago Blackhawk", "Suzuki feels more confident with Golden Knights", "The next Johnny Gaudreau?