Anthony Stewart
Raised in Toronto, Anthony Stewart (b. 1985) was selected by the Kingston Frontenacs in the first round, seventh overall, of the 2001 OHL draft. He went on to become the first Black captain of the Frontenacs. Stewart racked up 205 points in 248 regular-season games and seven playoff points in six playoff games for Kingston. He won a silver medal at the 2004 World Juniors despite an 11-point effort in six games but returned the following year to win gold.
In 2003, he was drafted by the Florida Panthers and made his NHL debut on October 18, 2005. Stewart went on to play for two more NHL teams before heading to Russia to play in the KHL. After his playing career, Stewart continued to coach hockey at the junior level and became an analyst on TV and radio at Rogers Sportsnet. Today, he remains a strong advocate for inclusion in sports and is a member of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition.
Tony McKegney
Tony McKegney (b. 1958) played four seasons for the Kingston Canadians of the OMJHL. As he took his first steps toward pro hockey, things did not go as planned. McKegney signed a contract with the Birmingham Bulls of the now-defunct World Hockey Association, but it was illegally revoked by the owner when the Alabama-based team faced racist backlash for signing a Black player.
The NHL’s Buffalo Sabres recognized his talent and drafted him 32nd overall in the 1978 draft. McKegney played nine NHL seasons in which he scored 20 or more goals, including a 40-goal campaign for the St. Louis Blues in 1987–88, making him the first Black player to reach that milestone.
Willie O'Ree
Willie O’Ree (b. 1935) was the first Black player to play in the NHL. More than 10 years after Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in Major League Baseball, O’Ree took the ice for the Boston Bruins on January 18, 1958, facing off against the Montreal Canadiens. O’Ree played only two games that season before being sent down to Boston’s EPHL affiliate, the Kingston Frontenacs, where he played alongside another Black player, Stan “Chook” Maxwell. He was called up again in the 1960–61 season and played 43 games. When he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, he was not invited to training camp.
Although he played in several professional leagues, including the EPHL, WHL, and AHL, O’Ree never returned to the NHL after the 1960–61 season. It wasn’t until 1974 that another Black player, Mike Marson, entered the NHL. During his career, O’Ree faced racial taunts and violence on the ice. Years later, he became the NHL's Diversity Ambassador, championing inclusion and spreading the love of hockey. O’Ree has been awarded the Order of Canada and the United States Congressional Gold Medal. His number 22 is now retired by the Boston Bruins and hangs in the rafters of TD Garden.
