86 year old Willie O’Ree will have his jersey retired by the Boston Bruins this evening. The former right winger broke the NHL’s colour barrier 64 years ago to the day, back in 1958 when he took the ice against the Montreal Canadiens.
O’Ree bounced around between various leagues during his playing days, a testament more to the times he lived in than his actual on ice skill. He had stops in the AHL, WHL, QHL, OHA, QPJHL, EPHL, PHL and several independent leagues throughout his 25 year playing career. Though it was his 45 NHL games that most will remember him for.
After being called up for a brief 2 game stint in 1958, O’Ree was sent back down the minors. There he toiled away before being called up for a longer 43 game sample size during the 1960-61 season. In 43 games, the Fredericton, NB native registered 14pts (4G, 10A) and 26PIMs with the Bruins.
This would mark the final time he would crack an NHL roster, as he was traded to the Canadiens in 1961. Sadly the league wouldn’t see another black player until 1974.
Often referred to as the “Jackie Robinson of hockey”, O’Ree has served as the NHL’s diversity ambassador since 1998. O’Ree has made a huge impact on the game off the ice travelling far and wide to diverse communities and working the charitable arms of NHL franchises. For his efforts, he was inducted into the hockey hall of fame in 2018 and the league created the Willie O’Ree Community Hero award in his honour.
Functioning similar to the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award, the WOCH is given out annually to “recognize the individual who has worked to make a positive impact on his community, culture or society to make people better through hockey.”
O’Ree’s number 22 will become the 12th number retired by the Boston Bruins in franchise history. When asked about the honour, he quipped “It was something that I’ve never dreamed of… I was very fortunate to be called up to the Bruins in 1958 and played with them ’60 and ’61. And then all of a sudden, to find out that my jersey is going to be retired and to hang in the rafters there with the local icons and legends that are up there at the present time, it’s just simply amazing.”
“When I broke in with the Bruins in 1958, I heard the racial remarks and the racial slurs from fans in the stands and players on the opposition,” O’Ree said. “But it didn’t really bother me. And I have to thank my older brother, who was not only my brother and my friend, but he was my mentor and taught me a lot that I would need to know. He says, ‘Willie. If people can accept you for the individual that you are, this is. That’s their problem. Just go out and work hard and stay focused on what you want to do.’
The Bruins play host to the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday evening in a showdown between two of the Eastern Conference’s best clubs.