Willie O'Ree passes to Charlie Burns, March 18, 1961.. O'Ree also scored the winner on January 19, 1961 versus Detroit in a 4-2 victory. Willie O’Ree is honored by many as the “Jackie Robinson” of hockey, as he was the first Black player in the league’s history. Asked by Wiki User. 0 0 1. Things like that. His final NHL stat line is 45 games, 10 goals and 4 assists. Asked by Wiki User. However, O'Ree managed to keep it secret, and made his NHL debut with the Bruins on January 18, 1958,[5][6] against the Montreal Canadiens, becoming the first black player in league history. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Top Answer. It had never had a black player. Montreal was an elite team coming off a string of Stanley Cup championships and had no room for O’Ree on their roster. All Rights Reserved. The NHL uses cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies. Willie O'Ree is referred to as the "Jackie Robinson of ice hockey," (and twice met Robinson personally, in O'Ree's own younger years) as the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL). [24] His jersey was retired by the San Diego Gulls on October 16, 2015. [12] The NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force is a non-profit program for minority youth that encourages them to learn and play hockey. [36], On January 12, 2021, the Boston Bruins announced that they would retire O'Ree's number 22 on February 18. While with the Fredericton Capitals, O’Ree played in the Allan Cup tournament, where he scored seven goals in seven games. All rights reserved. He played from 1955 to 1979. Most of O'Ree's playing time was with the WHL's Los Angeles Blades and San Diego Gulls. A long-time member of the Boston Garden and TD Garden "bull-gang" team of arena personnel that assists with "changeovers" for different events at each facility, the senior Grzelcyk had saved an original number 22 Bruins uniform jersey worn by O'Ree from the 1960-61 Boston Bruins season, when O'Ree last played in the NHL as a Bruin. The two led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 1970, in the team’s first league championship in 29 years. He scored a total of four goals and added ten helpers during his forty- five NHL games. By using NHL websites or other online services, you consent to the practices described in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, including our Cookie Policy. Martin Brodeur, Martin St. Louis and Willie O'Ree made an impact on hockey. William Eldon "Willie" O'Ree is considered to be a pioneer, or "The Jackie Robinson of hockey", for being the first black player in the National Hockey League, but if you asked O'Ree, he didn't think being a pioneer was a big deal and he would rather you think and accept him as another hockey player. Born on October 15, 1935 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Willie O'Ree was a prolific junior scorer with the Kitchener Canucks of the Ontario Hockey Association in 1955-56. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2021. Willie O'Ree. He was called up to the Boston Bruins of the NHL to replace an injured player. Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player, fronts the Hockey Hall of Fame induction class of 2018. He was called professional hockey's Jackie Robinson. “My mom and dad had come up from my hometown with four or five of my friends. NHL players are now required to enroll in a preseason diversity training seminar,[9] and racially based verbal abuse is punished through suspensions and fines.[10]. O'Ree rejoined the Bruins in 1960-61 and played in 43 games that season. See Answer. O'Ree's NHL career, albeit brief, opened the door for other players of various races to dream about NHL careers. Also in 2018, the NHL instituted the annual Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award[4] in his honour, to "recognize the individual who has worked to make a positive impact on his or her community, culture or society to make people better through hockey. Willie Eldon O'Ree, CM ONB (born October 15, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, best known for being the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL). A member of eight Stanley Cup championship teams, he was a fourteen-time All-Star player, and he was fast — that’s why he was called the Rocket. There were 23 black players in the NHL as of the mid-2010s. [38][39], In 2021, as a celebration of Black History Month, all NHL players wore a commemorative helmet decal honouring O'Ree from January 16 to February 28. That’s a shame because 60 years ago O’Ree did his own part bringing down a racial barrier in a different sport. O'Ree only played two season in the NHL, both with the Boston Bruins. Willie O'Ree's career, including his pioneering NHL breakthrough, has been widely recognized. 0 0 1. More … [23] The Buffalo Sabres hosted a Willie O'Ree skills weekend in March 2012. O'Ree played as a winger for the Boston Bruins. It is named in honor of Willie O’Ree, who became the NHL’s first Black player in 1958 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2018. [16] Those in attendance included a busload of friends from O'Ree's hometown of Fredericton. In 1998, O'Ree was working at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, California when the National Hockey League approached him to be the director of youth development for its diversity task force. Find Willie O'Ree stats, teams, height, weight, Position: Winger [30][31][32], Almost ten months after receiving his original Bruins sweater from the Grzelcyks, on November 1, 2018 O'Ree attended the ceremonial dedication of a street hockey rink named in his honour in the Boston neighbourhood of Allston, as part of the continuing legacy of O'Ree's time with the Bruins. The latter team retired his number, which now hangs from the rafters at Pechanga Arena, formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena. [35] The formal induction ceremony has been postponed to a yet to be determined date in 2021 due to concerns over COVID-19. The NHL started in 1917. Willie O’Ree became the first Black hockey player to play a National Hockey League (NHL) game on 18 January 1958. With the Victoria Cougars' loss in 1926, it would be the last time a non-NHL team competed for the Stanley Cup. “Hockey has opened up for everybody,” he said. [21], The same year, O'Ree received the Order of Canada, the highest civilian award for a Canadian citizen. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. It was Saturday, January 18, 1958. [19] On October 29, 2008, San Diego State University presented O'Ree with an Award for Outstanding Commitment to Diversity and Cross Cultural Understanding.
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