Are there any black hockey players in the NHL?

As of 2014, there are about 30 professional hockey players of black African descent, including Wayne Simmonds and Ray Emery, both of the National Hockey League Philadelphia Flyers. The NHL itself emphasizes that hockey is "for everyone," noting that many black players have played professional hockey since the 1950s.

Willie O'Ree was the first Black hockey player to play professionally in the NHL. The Canadian-born O'Ree's pro hockey career began in 1958. The Edmonton Oilers have a good track record of hiring black players, with a total of 11 such players having been on the team's roster through the year.