The Puerto Rico Mens National Team is participating in an international ice hockey tournament for the first time. In 2004, Alex Ovechkin was the first player selected in the NHL draft. Many Hispanics play in lower levels of hockey, such as junior hockey or college hockey. The NHL is conducting research on venues and locations, Daly said. Everybody knew who Scott Gomez was in the Mexican hockey environment, and everybody knew he had Mexican roots. Despite having the most Canadians, the Toronto Maple Leaf have 11 players, while the Vancouver Canuck have only one. NHL increases push to reach Latino communities | CBC Sports The Jamestown Ironmen and Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings ceased operations. Each team has an average of nine players from outside North America, or approximately 30% of their roster. The Alaska Avalanche relocate to Palmer, Alaska, but keep the same name. Bob Condor /. Despite not being seen as a stereotypical sport for Latinos, hockeys popularity in Latin America and with Spanish-speakers has grown in recent years. The teams span the United States from Maine in the East to Alaska in the Northwest and to Texas in the South. The Columbus Blue Jackets signed Gaudreau to a seven-year, $68.25 million contract on July 13, 2022. This years NHL Hispanic Heritage Month celebration will feature a variety of special events, including heritage nights, player appearances, and community outreach initiatives. Gomez wasn't the first NHL's player of Hispanic heritage -- Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who's part Nicaraguan, debuted with the Devils in 1991-92 -- but he is perhaps the most. Comparatively, there are 8.9% of the Black or African American ethnicity and 7.5% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. Latino hockey players have had a difficult time making it to the NHL. The team will play at the Rochester Ice Center in the metropolitan suburb of Fairport, New York. The Boston Bruins are the NHLs top team with a total of 20 Americans, followed by the Montreal Canadians with 12 Americans, and the Los Angeles Kings with 10 Americans. His fifth Selke victory made him the all-time record holder, breaking a tie with Bob Gainey. January 1, 2023. On January 18, 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first Black Canadian to play in the NHL. All Rights Reserved. A Mexican hockey player will also face a slew of cultural challenges when he enters the NHL. The first Latino player to be drafted was Scott Gomez in 1998. All Rights Reserved. Two-time Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins. Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Vezina trophy as the NHLs best goalie in 2018-19. Al Montoya's Mission to Bring More Latinos to Hockey (INTERVIEW) NHL regular season stats for players born in Buffalo, New York. 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The league added a third team in Alaska called the Anchorage Wolverines. 201415 season: The Port Huron Fighting Falcons were relocated to Connellsville, Pennsylvania, to become the Keystone Ice Miners, remaining in the North Division, and the Wenatchee Wild moved from the Midwest Division to the South Division.[32]. From 2014-2017, the tournament allowed an international competition for not only North American teams, but South American teams as well. "It would be great to bring hockey to Mexico in some way.". And, in 2016, the league made history by drafting a Latino player with the No. 2010: Buffalo Sabres 2011: Vancouver Canucks 2012-present: San Jose Sharks. The Coyotes serve as the perfect case study for this, as they have both the need for fans and a huge potential market in Arizonas Hispanic population. On Monday, Xavier Gutierrez was named the team president and CEO of the Coyotes, making him the first Latino to hold those positions in NHL history. The Minot Minotauros and Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings granted expansion. Toronto Maple Leafs star center Auston Matthews, who is of Mexican heritage, recently told ESPN. Beside winning the Stanley Cup someday, Nieto hopes his presence in the NHL inspires young Hispanic players the same way Gomez's career inspired him. Hispanic players make up a sizable percentage of the hockey worlds players. Only the onset of COVID-19 has curbed the country's momentum in attracting these leagues. As a result, he will almost certainly finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Eagles originally sought membership with the NAHL for the 201213 season and returned to the NOJHL for the season 201516 season. Fans are invited to stop by the Kraken Community Iceplex Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to check out exhibits informing all of us about NHL figures from the Latinx and Hispanic community. The peewee Jr. Kings won a national championship in their division and 15 players have been invited to the teams training camp in El Segundo, California, in August. Marie, Michigan; 19952005), This page was last edited on 17 March 2023, at 01:27. Although the Toronto Maple Leafs have the most Canadians (12), the Vancouver Canucks have the least (one). Only two Mexican players are currently in the NBA, withJTA accounting for an uninspiring 1.8% of all Mexican players. Operating across the Maritime provinces of Canada, the league operated for several decades until 1930. As the first American-born player to reach 60 goals in a season in the NHL, he accomplished the feat. The National Hockey League (NHL), which originated as a mono-ethnic and predominantly Canadian professional athletic league, spread to North America over the course of its existence. Russia and Europe aside, North America remains the largest market for the sport of hockey, yet the Latin American neighbors to the South are largely ignored. In his NHL debut, Kaprizov became the first player to accomplish the feat when he scored three points, including an overtime goal. In 2018-19, Kane set an NHL career high with 110 points (44 goals, 66 assists). 1 overall pick. The Michigan Warriors ceased operations due to the arrival of the major junior Flint Firebirds. EL COLOR DEL HOCKEY: TERMIN LA ESPERA PARA El PASO. The team does not have the resources or funds to compete with the best teams in the world. 20012002: Boston Bruins 60. These are the top-ten players of Asian descent, by career points, goals, and assists, when counting only their production with a specific franchise. In the future, there may be even more Hispanic players in the NHL, making an impact on the sport at the highest level. 5 Bill Guerin Right Wing. On March 12, 2019, Pittsburgh Penguins Evgeni Malkin became the youngest player to reach the 1,000-point mark with two assists against the Washington Caps. Subscribe to ESPN+ Bill Guerin notched 18 seasons in the NHL, playing on two Stanley Cup-winning teams in New Jersey and Pittsburgh. Raphael Diaz, a Swiss-born Montreal Habs defenseman, was born in Switzerland.