The CI Aggregator is a compilation of recent stories regarding the hockey world, The Carnegie Initiative, our Board members, other industry influencers, similar organizations doing work to change the culture of the game, related issues, and anything aligned with our important mission to make hockey more inclusive, supportive, and welcoming to all.
A new edition is posted each Friday.
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WEEKLY RECAP: Friday, October 13, 2023
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Bertagna Named Lester Patrick Award Recipient
CHN Staff Report, College Hockey News, Oct. 12, 2023
Former Hockey East and ECAC commissioner Joe Bertagna has been named the recipient of the 2023 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.
The annual award honors the memory of Lester Patrick, who spent 50 years in hockey as a player, coach and general manager and was a pioneer in the sport’s development.
“The first time I saw Joe Bertagna, I booed him – it should be noted that this was 1972 and he was tending goal for Harvard against my beloved Cornell Big Red in Lynah Rink,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “In the many years since, I have come to know Joe as a passionate advocate for our game at all levels throughout the United States. Joe has coached men’s and women’s teams at his alma mater and has been an innovative goaltending coach on the collegiate, national team and NHL levels for 50 years.
“In addition, combining his tenures leading the ECAC and then Hockey East, he has served longer as a college hockey commissioner than anyone – that’s another personal connection we have. For his lifetime of service to hockey in the United States, Joe Bertagna is a fitting and deserving recipient of the 2023 Lester Patrick Trophy.”
NHL Faces Criticism for Email Reveal of Controversial Theme Night Policy
A.J. Perez, Front Office Sports, Oct. 12, 2023
The rule change will affect Pride Night, indigenous, Black, Asian, cancer, and military nonprofit themes.; The league has remained mum on the ban on pregame jerseys worn by players on theme nights.
The NHL should not have revealed its new theme night policy change in an email.
That’s the consensus of those interviewed by Front Office Sports this week after a recent memo sent to the NHL’s 32 to clarify the rules for theme nights for the 2023-24 season that commenced on Tuesday. Commissioner Gary Bettman called how some teams and players handled Pride Night last season “a distraction” — and the solution was a blanket ban on warmup jerseys for any cause.
But the league didn’t consult with the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition — which has openly gay, Black, Asian, and indigenous members — and there were no formal talks with the NHL Players Association, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Team sources also said they didn’t learn of the policy change until the latest email from the league.
USA Hockey reveals Rivalry Series roster for November
There are 26 total skaters on the roster for the squad that will compete against Canada this winter.
Sydney Wolf, TheRinkLive.com, Oct. 12, 2023
USA Hockey has unveiled the November Rivalry Series roster, which includes 22 skaters that recently won a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championships in April.
The Rivalry Series is a seven-game tour across North America that showcases Team USA and Team Canada. This specific roster is for the skaters that will be present for the first two games of the tour, being held in early November in the southwestern U.S.
Researchers have designs on better women’s hockey protective gear
Tom Fleischman, Cornell Chronicle, Oct. 12, 2023
The website for Bauer, one of the biggest names in ice hockey equipment and apparel, lists 26 options for shoulder pads, which offer shoulder and upper torso protection for players in what can be a very fast and dangerous sport.
Of those 26 styles for youth and adults, exactly one is made specifically for women. The other major player in hockey gear, CCM, also has just one women’s model advertised on its site.
“It is shocking that the men have so many options and the woman have just one,” said Tulasi Elangovan, M.A. ’23, a former member of the Performance Apparel Design Lab, directed by Heeju Park, associate professor of apparel design in the College of Human Ecology (CHE).
Oilers hire NWHL founder and former commissioner Dani Rylan Kearney as a regional scout
The Canadian Press, Oct. 12, 2023
The Edmonton Oilers have hired former National Women’s Hockey League commissioner Dani Rylan Kearney as a regional scout.
The team announced the addition to its hockey operations department Thursday, just after the start of the NHL season.
Rylan Kearney, 36, founded the NWHL in 2015 and was in charge of the league until she stepped down in October 2020 and was replaced by Tyler Tumminia
Bruins all-centennial team: How it was picked, who the locks and snubs were
Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, Oct. 12, 2023
The Boston Bruins, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary, released the 20 players on their all-centennial team Thursday. It is comprised of 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies.
Here’s the team and insight into how it was picked …
… Who were snubs?
Judged by his impact on the league, Willie O’Ree deserved to be on the team. However, the criteria was for the “best” 20 players. O’Ree broke the color barrier with the Bruins, but he only scored 14 points in his 43 games with the organization.
Alaska School Sports Association Bars Trans Girls From Female Teams
Trudy Ring, Advocate.com, Oct. 12, 2023
The governing body for school sports in Alaska has barred transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports.
The Alaska School Activities Association’s board of directors voted 5-3 Monday to adopt the policy limiting participation in girls’ sports to those assigned female at birth, several media outlets in the state report. It goes into effect immediately, the association’s executive director, Billy Strickland, told Alaska Public Radio.
The state Board of Education had adopted a similar policy in August. If the School Activities Association hadn’t followed the Board of Education’s lead, schools wouldn’t have been allowed to join the sports group. Strickland had recommended that the board of directors approve the policy.
Mexico City on short list for future NHL international game
Greg Wyshynski, ESPN. Oct. 12, 2023,
The NHL has Mexico City on a short list of locations for future international games.
Steve Mayer, chief content officer for the NHL, told ESPN’s “The Drop” podcast this week that “Mexico City is on a short list because our teams are very interested in going there and exploring that market.”
The NHL restarted its Global Series tours in 2017, playing preseason and regular-season games in traditional hockey markets such as Sweden and Finland but also venturing into more untested markets. Last month, the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings played two preseason games in Melbourne, Australia, which marked the first time the NHL held an event on that continent.
Former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League players plead guilty to sex assault
Nicolas Daigle and Massimo Siciliano, both 21, were charged in 2021
The Canadian Press, Oct. 11, 2023
Two former Quebec junior hockey players pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually assaulting a minor in June 2021 as their team celebrated a championship win.
Massimo Siciliano and Nicolas Daigle, both 21, pleaded guilty to sexual assault, while Daigle also pleaded guilty to two charges of filming and exhibiting a video of the act.
The pair were members of the Victoriaville Tigres in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League at the time of the assault. The victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, was 17 and an employee at a Quebec City-area hotel where the team was staying during the 2021 playoffs.
The assault occurred in the early hours of June 6, 2021, as the team celebrated at the hotel after winning the league championship.
She started playing hockey in 1975. At 83, she’s still going.
Bailey Johnson, Washington Post, Oct. 11, 2023
The steady drumbeat of rain was the loudest sound in the building.
It was a quiet night in August, in the lingering wake of summer thunderstorms, and there was just one game left at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, the practice facility for the Washington Capitals. Earlier, at the other end of the building, two teams played for the championship of a men’s league, which meant there was a cheering section in the stands and there were raucous celebrations for the winning team. But the rink was just about empty now, with janitorial staffers outnumbering spectators.
It was the first round of the playoffs for the Capitals Women’s Hockey League. As the two teams, one in green and the other in gold, took the ice, they settled into the circuit of warmup laps. At first glance, there was nothing unusual about the scene. Nothing except for one player: Linda Sinrod.
Most octogenarians start to slow down from their sporting pursuits as they cross into their ninth decade of life. At an age when most of her peers are walking carefully and hoping to avoid the dreaded broken hip, the 83-year-old Sinrod chooses to step on the ice and compete each week.
“Our goal is clear: To establish Saskatoon as a hub for Hockey Canada’s premier events.”
Kevin Mitchell, Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Oct 10, 2023
The Rivalry Series will skate into Saskatoon in February, and local organizers say — with a great deal of anticipation — that there’s a lot more where that came from.
Stephanie Clovechock, the CEO of Discover Saskatoon, said Tuesday that the series — featuring the American and Canadian women’s national teams — is just one piece of what they hope will become a string of big-ticket hockey events coming to Saskatoon.
Here for Hockey: NHL on Sportsnet Season Preview
Rogers Sports and Media, Oct. 10, 2023
The puck finally drops tonight with a triple header on Sportsnet as the 2023-24 NHL regular season officially gets underway. As the exclusive national NHL rights holder and Canada’s #1 sports network, Sportsnet is “here for hockey” all season long, connecting Canadians with the biggest moments in hockey across TV, audio, streaming, and digital platforms.
Maple Leafs vow to support Pride in other ways after NHL bans rainbow tape on hockey sticks
Pride Hockey Tape has been a fixture for some players for years with ex-Leaf Travis Dermott using it regularly while others used it on Pride Nights.
Kevin McGran, Toronto Star, Oct. 10, 2023
While supporters of the LGTBQ+ community expressed their disappointment that the NHL had banned the use of rainbow tape on player sticks, the Toronto Maple Leafs insisted they will continue to support Pride and queer causes in other ways.
“This organization, myself personally, we’ve always been supporters of the LGBTQ community,” GM Brad Treliving said Tuesday. “Nothing’s going to change with that. We’ll figure out ways that we make sure we do the right things and support, as we always have, and stay true to what we believe in. There’s always challenges in the world but that doesn’t affect how we support (causes).”
Color of Hockey: Barriga hoping ‘Michigan’ goal helps further career overseas
Mexican American forward working way back with Belfast of EIHL after season-ending knee injury
William Douglas, NHL.com, Oct. 9, 2023
Elijiah Barriga is disappointed his second season in the Elite Ice Hockey League ended before it began.
The 27-year-old Belfast Giants forward sustained a season-ending injury to the ACL in his right knee in the second period of a European Champions Hockey League game against HC Bolzano on Sept. 9, nearly two weeks before the EIHL regular season began.
“It’s, like, hyperextended. I guess, tore a little bit of it,” Barriga said. “It doesn’t hurt, I’m doing my day to day, going to the gym, rehabbing already.”
A Mexican American from West Covina, California, Barriga said he’s working toward returning to the EIHL, where he made a splash with the Dundee Stars last season.
He led Dundee in goals (25), was second in points (56) in 54 games and was tied for seventh in goal-scoring in the United Kingdom’s top professional hockey league.
The NHL has banned Pride Tape, creating its own ‘Don’t Say Gay’ policy
The NHL has banned Pride Tape and Pride jerseys, in addition to issuing a disaster memo regarding LGBTQ initiatives. Hockey is not for everyone.
Cyd Zeigler, Outsports.com, Oct 9, 2023
The NHL’s decree that players and teams are no longer allowed to wear rainbow-colored Pride jerseys to celebrate the LGBTQ community was bad enough.
Now comes word that the league front office has sent all 32 teams a series of memos that include alleged “clarification” on this policy.
On top of this — and most egregious of all — Outsports has learned that the NHL has issued a league-wide ban of Pride Tape on the ice with the players during warm-ups, games and even practices. A league spokesperson has confirmed this change in policy with Outsports.
This is, as far as Outsports is aware, the most stifling, anti-LGBTQ policy any pro sports league in North America has ever issued.
Brendon Oreto Foundation — more than just a hockey school
Cesar Camacho, The Aquinian, Oct. 9, 2023
The Brendon Oreto Foundation held its annual hockey school at the Willie O’Ree Arena Fredericton from Sept. 25 to 30.
In early 1999, the Fredericton Youth Hockey Association renamed the program in honor and memory of Brendon Oreto, a former AAA hockey player who excelled at the game before he passed away in a car accident on his way back for Christmas back in 1998.
Tony Oreto, Brendon’s father, said he found out that they were going to rename the foundation four weeks after Brendon passed away and at the moment, he did not understand what that meant.
“It was just too much for me to even contemplate,” said Oreto. “But it took a number of them, it was the coaches, it was the managers at the time that all got involved, had these meetings, put the school together.”
Oreto said that Brendon was a sensitive kid who always made room for everyone without prejudice. At his funeral, he realized the impact his son had on people.
Taranjot Vining kicks off Flames TV Punjabi with Nazem Kadri
Brett Montrose, Fanside, Oct. 8, 2023
Taranjot Vining is a contributing writer here at Flame For Thought, but he’s also the new host of Flames TV Punjabi, an initiative started by Harnarayan Singh 12 years ago. Given the passionate and large Punjabi contingent within the C of Red, Flames TV Punjabi is a fantastic project that allows a vital part of the Flames fanbase to interact with the team in a more meaningful way.
After taking over from Singh over the summer, Vining made his inaugural appearances on Flames TV Punjabi over the summer.
Issue, Oct. 7, 2023
The CI’s newsletter is published on the 7th of each month. This edition includes a thoughtful welcome from Executive Director Shelley Nicholls, Ted Nolan coming out with his new book, The Orange Jersey project, a Q&A with Hockey Night In Canada’s Ron MacLean, and more.
Iconic Enshrinement: Stick Taps To The U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame Class Of 2023
USA Hockey Magazine, Oct. 2023
Brian Burke’s passion and contributions to the game of hockey have touched every level of the sport, including today as the executive director of the new Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association.
Burke played college hockey for the Providence Friars and served as captain his senior season. He then played one full year with the Maine Mariners, helping the team to a Calder Cup championship, before retiring and attending Harvard Law School.
He was an NHL player agent before joining the Vancouver Canucks front office in 1987 for a five-year stint. Burke briefly served as general manager of the Hartford Whalers prior to joining the NHL office for six seasons. Burke next went on to be general manager for the Canucks and the Anaheim Ducks, where he oversaw Anaheim winning its first-ever Stanley Cup in 2007. Burke then had stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins.
… Additionally, Burke is a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights having established the You Can Play project that targets homophobia and promoting safety and inclusion in sports, in honor of his late son, Brendan…
USA Hockey Magazine, Oct. 2023
The U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team completed an impressive performance at the 2023 Women’s World Challenge by beating Canada 2-0 in the championship game on Sept. 3 at the Cornerstone Community Center.
The U.S. went 3-0 in the preliminary round to advance to the championship game, with victories over Canada (3-0), Great Britain (7-0) and Team World (7-0).
“It was so exciting this year to see some other players step up that weren’t in the competition last year, and just to see the growth and development of this program and where we’ve come from last year,” said Rose Misiewicz, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team. “It really does mean everything.”
Recap: 2023 IIHF – Semi-Annual Congress
Andy Potts, IIHF, Oct. 7, 2023
The 2023 IIHF Semi-Annual Congress brought together representatives from 71 Member National Federations in Vilamoura, Portugal. The multi-day event not only addressed business matters such as housekeeping of regulations and bylaws, but was also an opportunity for reflection, development and building greater connections between multiple organizations.
In several workshops the delegates have been talking about the future of hockey. Participants from as far as Australia and New Zealand were in attendance to bring a truly global lens to the annual event.
Despite Backlash, Companies Still Benefit From Being Pro-LGBTQ
Calls for boycotts and online harassment are a given these days. But most consumers want companies to be inclusive.
Ella Ceron, Bloomberg, Oct. 6, 2023
Almost 500 bills restricting LGBTQ rights have been introduced in the US this year, more than in the last five years combined. Eighty-six have passed. Rhetoric against the community is growing, with hate speech surging on social media in the wake of these restrictive laws. “That’s really dangerous territory when you’re demonizing a certain group of people to that extent,” says Maeve DuVally, principal of consulting firm Glasheen & Co. “It leads to violence against us.”
For companies with pro-LGBTQ policies, it’s no longer a question of whether they’ll face conservative backlash, but when. Target Corp. suffered a misinformation campaign when bigots claimed it was selling “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for trans children. It wasn’t, but that didn’t stop people from destroying Pride displays and harassing workers…
Former NFL player Myles Jack makes history as new ECHL team owner
Vasili Gianarakos, Daily Faceoff, Oct 5, 2023
It was announced by the ECHL on Wednesday that the purchase of the league’s Allen Americans was finalized and former NFL player Myles Jack and his mother, LaSonjia Jack, are now officially majority owners of the team.
With the purchase of the Americans the Jack family became the first African American majority owners in ECHL history. They are just the second African American majority owners in professional hockey history. The Youngstown SteelHounds were a team that played in the Central Hockey League from 2005-2008 and they were founded and operated by Herb Washington, a former Major League Baseball player.
The transfer of the controlling interest in the Allen Americans was approved by the ECHL on Wednesday, going from the Allen Hockey Team, LLC, led by Jack Gulati, to ALA Hockey, LLC, that is controlled by the Jacks.
Celebrating Indigenous Contributions in Sports
Marisa Page, FirstNations.org, Oct. 2023.
The contributions that Indigenous people have made and continue to make to sports is substantial. Our fortitude and resiliency are shown through the courage we exude through our games.
Natives and sports go hand in hand. Many of us can remember playing soccer, football, baseball, and basketball for hours on end. Or sitting on the sidelines clapping and cheering and showing our support. It was our way of making memories, keeping in shape, and instilling values around health and fitness in our children …
… Indigenous people are and always have been athletic. It is only in recent times that we have started recognizing the accomplishments of Native GOATs (greatest of all time), such as:
… Clarence “Taffy” Abel (Ojibwe): First Native American to win a medal in the 1924 Olympic winter games.