1957-1958
1960-61
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WILLIE O’REE, left/right wing, becomes the first black player in the NHL with an appearance with the BOSTON BRUINS on Jan. 18. O’Ree plays two games during the 1957-58 season. O’REE appears in 43 games with the BRUINS. O’REE would appear in 43 games during the 1960-61 season.
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1974 –1975
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MIKE MARSON, left wing, is drafted by the WASHINGTON CAPITALS (2nd Rd., 19th overall) and becomes the second black player in the NHL. He scores 16 goals and appears in 76 games during his debut season.
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BILL RILEY, right wing, appears in one game with the Washington Capitals.
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1976-77
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VAL JAMES, left wing, is drafted by the Detroit Red Wings (15th Rd., 184th overall).
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1978 – 1979
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TONY McKEGNEY, left wing, is drafted by the Buffalo Sabres (2nd Rd., 32nd overall) and appears in 52 games with the team, scoring eight goals with 14 assists.
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1979-1980
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MARSON is traded to the Los Angeles Kings and finishes out his career with 24 goals and 24 assists in 196 games
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RILEY is claimed by the Winnipeg Jets in the expansion draft, and marks his last NHL appearance in a career that included 31 goals and 30 assists in 139 games.
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BERNIE SAUNDERS is signed by the Quebec Nordiques as a free agent.
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RAY NEUFELD, right wing, is drafted by the Hartford Whalers (4TH Rd., 81st overall) and debuts with the team, playing in eight games with one goal.
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STEVEN FLETCHER, left wing/defenseman, is drafted by the Calgary Flames (11th Rd., 202nd overall).
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1980-1981
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SAUNDERS ends his NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques after appearing in 10 games over two seasons.
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1981-1982
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GRANT FUHR becomes the first black goaltender in the NHL as he debuts with the Edmonton Oilers (drafted in the 1st Rd., 8th overall). He is named to the 1982 All-Star team.
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The Buffalo Sabres sign VAL JAMES as a free agent.
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CLAUDE VILGRAIN, right wing, is drafted by the Detroit Red Wings (6th Rd., 107th overall).
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1982-1983
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BRIAN JOHNSON, right wing, is drafted by the Hartford Whalers (7th Rd., 107th overall).
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PAUL JERRARD, defenseman, is drafted by the New York Rangers (10th Rd., 180th overall).
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1983-1984
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The Buffalo Sabres trade TONY McKEGNEY to the Quebec Nordiques.
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GRANT FUHR becomes the first black player to win a Stanley Cup as the Edmonton Oilers take home the honor.
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The Detroit Red Wings sign BRIAN JOHNSON as a free agent for his first and only NHL season.
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1984-1985
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FUHR wins a second Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.
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1985 –1986
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The Quebec Nordiques trade McKegney to the Minnesota North Stars.
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The Hartford Whalers trade NEUFELD to the Winnipeg Jets.
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1986-1987
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The Minnesota North Stars trade McKEGNEY to the New York Rangers.
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FUHR wins his third Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.
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JAMES plays four games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in his second and final season in the NHL.
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1986-1987
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ELDON “POKEY” REDDICK debuts in net for the Winnipeg Jets.
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1987 –1988
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McKEGNEY is traded to the St. Louis Blues from the Rangers.
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FUHR wins his fourth Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.
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VILGRAIN is signed as a free agent and debuts with the Vancouver Canucks.
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FLETCHER signs with the Montreal Canadiens and plays in one playoff game.
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REGGIE SAVAGE, center, is drafted by the Washington Capitals (1st Rd., 15th overall).
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1988-1989
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The Winnipeg Jets trade Neufeld to the Boston Bruins.
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FUHR is named to First NHL All-Star Team and wins the Vezina Trophy.
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The Winnipeg Jets sign VILGRAIN as a free agent. He finishes his career with three regular season games played.
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JERRARD is traded from the New York Rangers to the Minnesota North Stars and plays five games for Minnesota in his first and only NHL season.
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MIKE McHUGH, left wing, is chosen first overall in the Supplemental Draft by the Minnesota North Stars. He plays three games in his first stint in the NHL.
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1989 – 1990
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McKEGNEY is traded to the Detroit Red Wings from the St. Louis Blues. The Detroit Red Wings trade him to the Quebec Nordiques later that season.
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NEUFELD finishes his NHL career as a Boston Bruin, playing in 595 games with 157 goals and 200 assists.
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GRAEME TOWNSHEND, right wing, debuts with the Boston Bruins.
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FUHR wins his fifth Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.
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1989 – 1990
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The Winnipeg Jets trade REDDICK to the Edmonton Oilers.
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VILGRAIN is traded to the New Jersey Devils by the Vancouver Canucks.
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1990-1991
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McKEGNEY is traded to the Chicago Blackhawks by the Nordiques. He finishes his NHL career as the all-time leader in games (912), goals (320), assists (319), points (639) and penalty minutes (517) among black players.
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SAVAGE debuts with the Washington Capitals.
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SANDY MCCARTHY, right wing, is drafted by the Calgary Flames (3rd Rd., 52nd overall).
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1991-1992
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FUHR is traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs by the Edmonton Oilers after establishing the Oilers’ franchise record for most wins (226).
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McHUGH is claimed by the San Jose Sharks from the
Minnesota North Stars in the Dispersal Draft.
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The New York Islanders sign TOWNSHEND as a free agent.
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DALE CRAIGWELL, center, is drafted by the San Jose Sharks (11th Rd., 199th overall), playing in 32 games with 5 goals and 11 assists.
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JOAQUIN GAGE, goaltender, is drafted by the Edmonton Oilers (10th Rd., 205th overall).
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ANSON CARTER, right wing, is drafted by the Quebec Nordiques (11th Rd., 220th overall).
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1992-1993
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FUHR is traded to the Buffalo Sabres by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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SAVAGE is traded to the Quebec Nordiques by the Washington Capitals.
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DARREN BANKS, left wing, debuts with the Boston Bruins. He would finish his career with them the next season.
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1992-1993
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KEVIN WEEKES, goaltender, is drafted by the Florida Panthers (2nd Rd., 41st overall).
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JAMAL MAYERS, center, is drafted by the St. Louis Blues (3rd Rd., 89th overall).
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MIKE GRIER, right wing, is drafted by the St. Louis Blues (7th Rd., 219th overall).
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1993-1994
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REDDICK is signed as a free agent by the Florida Panthers and finishes out his NHL career after 132 games, 46 wins, 58 losses and 16 ties.
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The Philadelphia Flyers sign VILGRAIN as a free agent. He finishes
his career with 21 goals and 32 assists in 89 games.
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The Ottawa Senators sign TOWNSHEND as a free agent.
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CRAIGWELL ends his career as a San Jose Shark after 98 games, 11 goals and 18 assists.
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DONALD BRASHEAR, left wing, debuts with the Montreal Canadiens.
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MCCARTHY, right wing, debuts with the Calgary Flames, the season’s winners of the Pacific Division.
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FRED BRATHWAITE debuts in net for the Edmonton Oilers.
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RUMUN NDUR, defense, is drafted by the Buffalo Sabres (3rd Rd., 69th overall).
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BRYCE SALVADOR, defense, is drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning (6th Rd., 138th overall).
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1994-1995
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FUHR is traded to the Los Angeles Kings by the Buffalo Sabres. He shares the William M. Jennings Trophy with Dominik Hasek.
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CRAIG MARTIN, right wing, debuts with the WINNIPEG JETS.
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GAGE debuts between the pipes for the Edmonton Oilers.
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JAROME IGINLA, center, is drafted by the Dallas Stars (1st Rd., 11th overall).
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SEAN BROWN, defenseman, is drafted by the Boston Bruins (1st Rd., 21st overall).
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GEORGES LARAQUE, right wing, is drafted by the Edmonton Oilers (2nd Rd., 31st overall).
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JASON DOIG, defenseman, is drafted by the Winnipeg Jets (2nd Rd., 34th overall).
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JEAN-LUC GRAND-PIERRE, defense, is drafted by the St. Louis Blues (6th Rd., 179th overall).
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PETER WORRELL, left wing, is drafted by the Florida Panthers (7th Rd., 166th overall).
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1995-1996
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FUHR is traded to the ST. LOUIS BLUES by the LOS ANGELES KINGS.
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GAGE collects his first victory in the NHL as a member of the Oilers.
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DOIG debuts with the Winnipeg Jets.
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IGINLA debuts in the playoffs with the Calgary Flames. He scores a goal and an assist in two games.
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The Boston Bruins and Flynn Arena host the First Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Weekend on December 30-31, 1995 in Boston, MA.
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TYRONE GARNER, goaltender, is drafted by the New York Islanders (4th Rd., 83rd overall).
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1996-1997
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MAYERS debuts with the St. Louis Blues.
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BRASHEAR is traded to the Vancouver Canucks by the Montreal Canadiens.
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The Florida Panthers sign MARTIN as a free agent. He would finish his career at the end of season with 21 appearances.
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BROWN debuts with the EDMONTON OILERS.
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CARTER debuts with the Washington Capitals and is traded to the Boston Bruins.
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GRIER debuts with the Edmonton Oilers becoming the NHL’s first African-American player born and trained in the U.S..
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IGINLA is runner-up for the Calder trophy after 82 games in which he led the league’s rookies with 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) and eight power play goals.
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NDUR debuts with the Buffalo Sabres.
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The Calgary Flames trade GARNER to the New York Islanders.
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Martinez drafted by LA Kings (4th Rd., 95th overall).
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The Chicago Blackhawks and United Center host the Second Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Game on February 16, 1997 in Chicago, IL.
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1997-1998
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BRASHEAR leads the league with 372 penalty minutes with the Vancouver Canucks.
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The Calgary Flames trade McCARTHY to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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DOIG transfers to the Phoenix Coyotes after the Winnipeg Jets relocate.
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WEEKES debuts in net for the Florida Panthers.
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WORRELL debuts with the Florida Panthers.
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LARAQUE debuts with the Edmonton Oilers.
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The Colorado Avalanche and McNichols Arena host the Third Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Game on February 28, 1998 in Denver, CO.
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GOMEZ drafted by New Jersey Devils (1st Rd., 27th overall).
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Cheechoo drafted by San Jose Sharks (2nd Rd., 29th overall).
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MALHOTRA drafted by the Rangers (1st Rd., 7th overall).
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1998-1999
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GRAND-PIERRE debuts with the Buffalo Sabres. He plays 16 games in his first NHL stint and records 46 hits and 13 blocked shots.
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GARNER debuts with the Calgary Flames.
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McCARTHY is traded to the Philadelphia Flyers from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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MALHOTRA debuts with the New York Rangers.
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BRATHWAITE signs a contract with the Calgary Flames after spending two years in the IHL. He finishes the season with an 11-9-7 record and wins the Flames’ Molson Cup for the most three-star performances.
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The Phoenix Coyotes trade DOIG to the New York Rangers.
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NDUR is claimed on waivers by the New York Rangers from the Buffalo Sabres.
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WEEKES is traded to the Vancouver Canucks from the Florida Panthers.
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The Washington Capitals and MCI Center host the Fourth Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Game on February 28, 1999 in Washington, D.C.
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1999 – 2000
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The St. Louis Blues trade FUHR to the Calgary Flames. Fuhr ends his career ranked 6th on the all time wins list by a goaltender (398) with 255 shutouts.
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BRATHWAITE sets a Calgary Flames’ team record with five shutouts by season’s end.
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MAYERS joins the NHL ranks full-time and records 17 points and 150 hits in 79 games as the St. Louis Blues win the Presidents Trophy.
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GOMEZ debuts with New Jersey Devils.
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MCCARTHY is traded to the Carolina Hurricanes from the Philadelphia Flyers.
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1999 – 2000
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NDUR is claimed on waivers by the Atlanta Thrashers from the New York Rangers.
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The Florida Panthers trade WEEKES to the New York Islanders.
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LARAQUE is named the Edmonton Oilers’ Most Popular Player.
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The Detroit Red Wings and Joe Louis Arena host the Fifth Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Game on February 27, 2000 in Detroit, MI.
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2000-2001
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GRAND-PIERRE joins the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Buffalo Sabres. He records 112 hits in 64 games and scored his first goal.
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SALVADOR debuts with the St. Louis Blues. He plays 75 games and leads all defensemen with 142 hits.
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JAY SHARRERS, became, by most accounts, the first black NHL referee on April 3, 2001. Born in Jamaica and raised in Vancouver, Sharrers, a linesman since 1990, worked the Florida Panthers vs. Philadelphia Flyers game, his first as an NHL referee.
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MAYERS tallies 21 points and 126 hits as the St. Louis Blues reach the 100-point mark for the second straight year.
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McCARTHY is traded to the New York Rangers from the Carolina Hurricanes.
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The Boston Bruins trade CARTER to the Edmonton Oilers.
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WEEKES is traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning from the New York Islanders.
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The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ice Palace host the Sixth Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Game on February 17, 2001 in Tampa, FL.
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2001-2002
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BRASHEAR is traded to the Philadelphia Flyers from the Vancouver Canucks.
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The Calgary Flames trade BRATHWAITE to the St. Louis Blues.
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The New York Rangers trade DOIG to the OTTAWA SENATORS.
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IGINLA wins Player of the Week honors for the week of October 22-28. He is named to the NHL All-Star team and leads the league in goals at the All-Star break. Shortly after the All-Star Game, Iginla joins Team Canada in the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. He would go on to score four points in the Olympics, including two goals and an assist in Canada’s 5-2 victory over the United States for the gold medal, becoming the first black male athlete to win a medal in a Winter Olympics. In February, Iginla becomes the first black player in NHL history to be named player of the month. On March 4, Iginla scores his first career hat-trick in a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers.
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To celebrate hockey’s growth and diversity, the NHL designated February Hockey is for Everyone Month. This initiative was born out of an event held on Jan. 15, 2002, Dr. Martin Luther King’s birth date, when the Edmonton Oilers faced the St. Louis Blues at the Savvis Center. More than 15 current and former players representing 8 countries - including 7 black active players- participated in an on-ice ceremony to celebrate diversity in hockey.
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2001-2002
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The Tampa Bay Lightning trade WEEKES to the Carolina Hurricanes.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena host the Seventh Annual Willie O’Ree All-Star Game on March 23, 2002 in Columbus, OH.
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U.S. House of Representatives member Mike Capuano, D-Mass., includes a tribute to O'REE and his work with the Diversity Task Force in his official remarks to Congress for entry into the Congressional Record on February 28, 2002. His remarks, issued on the last day of Black History Month, also referenced IGINLA's goal-medal victory as a member of the Canadian Olympic Team and the 2002 Willie O'Ree All-Star Weekend
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2002-2003
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Cheechoo debuts with the San Jose Sharks.
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A. Stewart drafted by Los Angeles Kings (1st Rd., 25th overall).
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Gerald Coleman is drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning (7th Rd, 224th overall), becoming the first NHL Diversity program player to be drafted. He would dress for his first NHL regular-season game on Nov. 10, 2005 versus the New York Rangers at the St. Pete Times Forum.
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2003-2004
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Montoya drafted by New York Rangers (1st Rd., 6th overall).
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Iginla is named the Calgary Flames captain at the start of the season, becoming the first black captain in NHL history.
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2005-2006
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C. Stewart drafted by Colorado Avalanche (1st Rd., 18th overall).
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Stewart debuts with Florida Panthers.
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2006-2007
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P.K. Subban drafted by Montreal Canadiens (2nd Rd., 43rd overall).
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2007-08
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O’Ree receives the Bill Walsh Champion of Change Award from the All Stars Helping Kids, a charitable organization founded by NFL Hall of Fame Ronnie Lott, for his transcending achievement in sports, on Sept. 27, 2007.
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Jan. 18, 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of O’Ree’s NHL debut. O’Ree is honored at an NHL All-Star Diversity Luncheon during the 2008 NHL All-Star Weekend festivities in Atlanta, Georgia.
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2008-2009
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Montoya was traded to Phoenix by NY Rangers with Marcel Hossa for Josh Gratton, David LeNeveu, Fredrik Sjostrom and Phoenix's 5th round choice (Roman Horak) in 2009 Entry Draft, February 26, 2008.
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Montoya debuts with the Phoenix Coyotes.
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2008-2009
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Stewart debuts with Colorado Avalanche
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E. Kane drafted by Atlanta Thrashers (1st Rd., 4th overall).
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Hasek’s Heroes hosts the 1st Annual Willie O’Ree Skills Showcase Weekend, March 20-22, in Buffalo.
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2009-2010
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Martinez debuts with Los Angeles Kings.
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P.K. Subban debuts with Montreal Canadiens
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E. Kane debuts with Atlanta Thrashers
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O’Ree receives the Order of Canada for his years of service to youth development and the growth of hockey across communities in Canada and the U.S. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, presided over the ceremony on April 7, 20120 at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
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The Buffalo Sabres Host the 2010 Willie O’Ree Skills Weekend in Buffalo, N.Y.
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2010-2011
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Montoya traded to NY Islanders by Phoenix for NY Islanders' 6th round choice (Andrew Fritsch) in 2011 Entry Draft, February 9, 2011.
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Hasek’s Heroes host the 2011 Willie O’Ree Skills Weekend, March 17-20, in Buffalo.
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2011-2012
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Montoya signed as a free agent by Winnipeg, July 4, 2012.
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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced plans to join forces with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) on an entirely new four-year academic scholarship for participants of the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone (HIFE) initiative. The scholarship, slated to launch in 2013, will provide opportunities for qualified HIFE participants to attend any of the country’s 46 public Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs).
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2012-2013
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On January 17, 2013 New Jersey Devils announce that defenseman Bryce Salvador will serve as Captain for the 2012-2013 season.
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