The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association announced Tuesday the formation of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition. The group was previously known as the NHL’s Executive Inclusion Council.
The Coalition, which includes 20 current and former male and female players, is co-chaired by Anson Carter and P.K. Subban.
Alongside the launch of the Coalition, the NHL and NHLPA have pledged more than $1 million to support programs and grassroots organizations. Each member of the Coalition has chosen one program or organization that will receive a $5,000 grant from the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition Action Fund.
“Every member of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition shares a passion to bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of the hockey community. It has been incredible to work together to amplify the role of Players as advisors, ambassadors, and catalysts for real change, which benefits underrepresented groups in the game,” Carter said. “As we enter the coalition’s next phase, we are excited to grow our impact by sharing more of our work with fans to invite everyone who loves hockey to join the movement with us.”
Below is an alphabetical list of the 20 members of the Coalition, and the organizations they support.
Cam Atkinson: Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education, a non-profit that uses the sport of hockey to educate and empower under-resourced youth of Philadelphia to prosper in the game of life.
Ethan Bear: Little Native Hockey League, an annual hockey tournament that brings together First Nation youth in Ontario for community-building and empowerment.
J.T. Brown: Seattle Pride Hockey Association, an organization committed to promoting and advocating for diversity and inclusiveness in the Pacific Northwest ice hockey community, with specific attention to LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Blake Bolden: The Empowerment Effect, a mentorship program supporting young females in ice hockey, ages 7-16, from underserved communities in the Los Angeles area.
Madison Bowey: Detroit Ice Dreams Hockey Association, a youth hockey organization that minimizes the barriers that prevent underrepresented communities from access to ice hockey.
Anson Carter: The Atlanta Jr. Thrashers, a program that offers girls in the South opportunities to play hockey and develop into strong female leaders; and the Atlanta Sparks, a program that provides a fun and safe environment for athletes with special needs to play hockey.
Julie Chu: Caroline Ouellette Girls Hockey Celebration, an organization that aims to promote and develop female hockey via an all-girls hockey tournament with fun and competitive games.
Meghan Duggan: Hockey in New Jersey, an organization that inspires diverse youth to develop life skills, succeed academically, and create positive relationships through the sport of hockey; and Madison Gay Hockey Association, an all-gender hockey league for the LGBTQIA community in Madison, Wisconsin.
Mark Fraser: Seaside Hockey, a program that provides assistance to visible minority youths in the Greater Toronto Area to help more diverse children play hockey and gain life skills.
Chris Kreider: Ice Hockey in Harlem, an organization that offers ice hockey and off-ice programming that exposes young people in Harlem to experiences that prepare them for their future.
Brigette Lacquette: Siksika SN7, a group of youth and young adults who provide hockey programming alongside peer-to-peer support for young people in Siksika Nation.
Georges Laraque: Hockey 4 Youth, an organization that provides new Canadian youth with an opportunity to play ice hockey at no cost. Laraque’s grant helped launch a new program for girls in Grades 5-6 in the Saint-Laurent area of Montreal.
Jamal Mayers: North City Blues, a program for St. Louis students enrolled in KIPP schools and/or Friendly Temple that provides free instruction to learn ice hockey.
Al Montoya: The University of Texas at Arlington’s University Crossroads. Montoya’s grant will support a scholarship for students interested in a career in sports management, to inspire students from more backgrounds to consider careers in hockey.
Sarah Nurse: Seaside Hockey, a program that provides assistance to visible minority youths in the Greater Toronto Area to help more diverse children play hockey and gain life skills.
Ryan Reaves: Ice Hockey in Harlem, an organization that offers ice hockey and off-ice programming that exposes young people in Harlem to experiences that prepare them for their future.
Abby Roque: Clark Park Coalition Hockey, a program that offers recreational, educational, social, and mentoring programs for southwest Detroit families to help youth grow into responsible, self-confident adults.
Kevin Shattenkirk: Anaheim Family YMCA Youth Street Hockey League. Shattenkirk’s grant is being used to cover the registration fees for participants to help the program grow.
P.K. Subban: HEROS Hockey, an organization that uses the game of ice hockey to teach life-skills and empower marginalized youth by providing free hockey programming to youth across Canada.
Zach Whitecloud: Dakota Nation Winterfest Minor Hockey Tournament, an annual tournament that coincides with celebration of Indigenous culture. Whitecloud’s grant will be used to subsidize entry fees to reduce the cost for participating youth teams.
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