(WSVN) - Florida Panther hockey player, Anthony Duclair, worked on an important project that sent a strong message to the world of hockey.
“I wanted to tell my story,” said Duclair. “I wanted to tell the world what it’s like to be a black hockey player growing up.”
Duclair appeared in a documentary called “Black Ice” where he detailed the racism he faced within the sport he loved.
The movie chronicles the colored hockey league in Canada, which lasted until 1930; history showed Black people were barred to play amongst white players or in the National Hockey League (NHL).
“To get a very clear understanding of what happened and how it was a really hard battle for all black players you need to know the history,” said Duclair. “We know there’s so much racism going on still to this day. We want to do our best to put an end to that. The documentary hits close to him so, I’m very honored to be a part of it.”
Duclair walked the red carpet at the premiere of the movie that was held in Toronto. He was joined by current and former NHL players who also shared their stories in the documentary.
“You’re not supposed to put up with the things that maybe we have had to endure, but we endured them for a purpose,” said P.K. Subban, a three-time NHL all-star. “That purpose has brought us here. I think it’s just an important message for the kids; it’s that, yes we don’t want you to deal with these things, but we also have to realize our goals. Set your goals high and work towards them. Don’t let anything stop you from getting there.”
Duclair believes his voice can bring awareness to eliminate the stigma that plagued hockey for decades.
“I have a little brother as well who has been through it,” said Duclair. “Still, to this day, I’m making yearly calls to kids about insolence that happens on the ice, even off the ice. I don’t see it changing any time soon, but we are trying to get in the right direction and trying to do our best to get the messaging out there.”
Lebron James and Drake are the executive producers of the film.
Willie O’Ree was the first Black player in the NHL when he played as a winger for the Boston Bruins in 1958; he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
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