Lance Cardinal displays the Edmonton Oilers’ Turtle Island logo he designed.
Courtesy of Lance Cardinal
Growing The Game is Ian Kennedy’s weekly feature examining the global game, how social issues impact the sport, and how hockey’s important cultural shift continues to evolve.
Kuwabara Named First Japanese Canadian Coach In OHL History
The OHL’s Niagara IceDogs hired Ryan Kuwabara as their new coach. Kuwabara, whose grandparents immigrated to Canada from Japan in the late 1800s, and who represented Japan himself at the 1998 Olympics and multiple World Championships, becomes the first OHL head coach of Asian descent in league history.
“I am extremely excited to join the Niagara IceDogs organization,” Kuwabara said in an OHL news release. “I look forward to working with (IceDogs GM Darren DeDobbelaer) and the coaching staff to create a winning culture here in Niagara.”
A second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1990 NHL Draft, Kuwabara, who originally hails from Hamilton, Ontario spent multiple seasons as an assistant coach in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit and Flint Firebirds. Last season he joined the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers as an assistant coach, a role he held until his hiring by Niagara.
Hockey Diversity Alliance’s Grassroots Original Hockey League Bringing Youth To The Game
The Grassroots Original Hockey League is bringing hundreds of diverse youth together each week to experience hockey free of charge in the Toronto area. The league is run and funded by the Hockey Diversity Alliance and their sponsors. The 22-week season runs from October to March, four days a week in four communities across Toronto.
“The most difficult, but most important, work we can do is to provide access and opportunity to our youth that they otherwise wouldn’t have – to provide a platform to be successful in life through sport,” said Akim Aliu, a founder of the Hockey Diversity Alliance. “We are steadfast in doing the real work to change the trajectory of our game. We have created a first-of-its-kind program for up to 500 kids in the GTA and are looking to grow year over year with an emphasis on education and serving the underserved communities that many of us came from.”
Along with their on-ice programming, the HDA is also running ball hockey programs. Between the on- and off-ice offerings, the Grassroots Original Hockey League provides programming for approximately 500 youth each week.
Edmonton Oilers Showcase Turtle Island Jerseys
The Edmonton Oilers hosted an Indigenous Celebration Night, featuring warmup jerseys with a freshly designed Turtle Island logo. The logo was created by Lance Cardinal, who is a member of Bigstone Cree Nation in Treaty 8 territory.
“What an amazing moment for Indigenous people here in Canada to have the Turtle Island logo I desiged featured on the Edmonton Oilers warm up jerseys this year,” Cardinal said in an email. “This type of representation is so important to help bring our hockey community together, on the ice and off the ice, and help build better bridges of understanding and acceptance for Indigenous people.”
The Edmonton Oilers also recognized the importance of the event.
“The Edmonton Oilers are proud of their long-standing relationship with the Indigenous peoples of Oil Country, and the club will never forget the history and communities of the land they play on,” said Tim Shipton, executive vice president of OEG Sports & Entertainment, in a team news release. “We are honored to celebrate the Indigenous people and communities across Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and we are ever grateful to have such a passionate and supportive Indigenous fanbase.”
At the game, which the Oilers won 4-3 against the Florida Panthers in overtime, the team also used their 50/50 raffles to support Spirit North, an organization working “to empower Indigenous youth to be unstoppable in sport, school and life.”
Top BIPOC Leaders and Influencers In Hockey
Erica Ayala of Black Rosie Media compiled a list of the most influential BIPOC leaders in hockey, voted upon by seven members of the hockey community, including myself.
Topping the list was the great Willie O’Ree, but notably, the top portion of the list was dominated by women of color. Ayala, as well as fellow member of the voting panel Chanel Keenan, undoubtedly could have found their way onto the list, but women of color were well represented, including Renee Hess, Saroya Tinker, Angela James and Sarah Nurse who rounded out the top five.
To see who else made the 22-person list, you can visit the Black Rosie Media website.
USA Finishes Pool Play Undefeated At The Men’s World Para Cup
The men’s Para Hockey Cup round-robin got underway this week in Bridgewater, N.S. with Team USA finishing in first, going 3-0 in pool play.
Czechia finished their round-robin play with a 3-2 win over Italy, their first victory of the tournament to secure third place after the preliminary round. Filip Vesely scored a pair of goals, including the third-period game-winner for Czechia.
Canada and the USA faced off on the final day of the preliminary round after both teams collected lopsided wins over Czechia and Italy earlier in the week.
After USA stormed out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, Canada tied it up scoring a pair of their own in the second frame. Tyler McGregor scored both for Canada as the tournament’s top goal-scorer collecting six goals and eight points through four games.
With the game tied 2-2 and needing overtime, USA’s Declan Farmer scored to send the Americans to victory. It was his tournament-leading 10th point through four games.
The semifinals take place Thursday with Italy facing the United States at 2 p.m. ET and Canada playing Czechia at 6 p.m. ET.
The gold and bronze medal games are on Dec. 3.
