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Boston Bruins: Remembering Willie O’Ree’s Impact 60 Years On

By Conor Peniston-Bird

BOSTON, MA - JUNE 17: Boston Bruins legend Willie O'Ree watches the game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Bruins in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final at the TD Garden on June 17, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Gail Oskin/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 17: Boston Bruins legend Willie O'Ree watches the game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Bruins in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final at the TD Garden on June 17, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Gail Oskin/Getty Images) /
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It has been 60 years since Willie O’Ree stepped onto the Montreal Forum ice baring a spoked B upon his chest. While making an NHL debut is a significant enough experience, O’Ree was representing so much more than just himself.

Changing Attitudes

That night on January 18th 1958, Willie O’Ree became the NHL’s first black player, for the Boston Bruins. It would come just a decade after Jackie Robinson tore down Baseball’s color boundaries.

The Bruins would win 3-0 against the Montreal Canadiens, and although O’Ree didn’t score a point on the ice, his impact was monumental off it. Even if it wouldn’t be fully appreciated until later on.

There is some contrast to Robinson and O’Ree. Whilst Jackie Robinson made newspaper headlines with his triumph, the papers simply read “Bruins shutout Habs”. It wouldn’t be until later that the comparisons were made and O’Ree was named the ‘Jackie Robinson of Hockey’.

Fighting on Two Fronts

Willie O’Ree not only had racial oppression in his way, he was effectively blind in his right eye. The Fredericton, New Brunswick native was playing for Kitchener of the OHL. During a game in the 1955-56 season, O’Ree who was parked in front of the net took a deflected slapshot from teammate Kent Douglas to the face. It broke his nose, which turned out to be the lesser of the two evils he suffered in that game. As O’Ree awoke from surgery he noticed that he couldn’t see out of his right eye.

LOS ANGELES – 1963: Willie O’Ree
LOS ANGELES – 1963: Willie O’Ree /

Doctors broke the news to Willie that his hockey career was well and truly over. O’Ree not one to be deterred, felt he could still make it to the top, it was his secret to keep.

O’Ree became a professional with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Hockey League, scoring 22 goals and 12 assists in 68 games. This led O’Ree to the promised land of the NHL, attending training camp with the Bruins prior to the 1957-58 season. Although he wouldn’t make the team initially, he would be back. He would only have to wait until January 18th to don the Black and Gold.

A Game Changer

North American Hockey has some skeletons in the closet and must hold its hands up every once and a while. The fact that it took ten years following on from Jackie Robinson for a black player to lace them up in the NHL speaks volumes. It can be at times, exclusionary to those wanting to break into the league, be it ethnicity or nationality.

BOSTON – JANUARY 19: Willie O’Ree formerly of the Boston Bruins sits on the bench with members of the S.C.O.R.E. Boston Diversity Program at TD Banknorth Garden January 19, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. O’Ree was celebrating his 50th anniversary as being the first black player to play in the NHL. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON – JANUARY 19: Willie O’Ree formerly of the Boston Bruins sits on the bench with members of the S.C.O.R.E. Boston Diversity Program at TD Banknorth Garden January 19, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. O’Ree was celebrating his 50th anniversary as being the first black player to play in the NHL. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Willie O’Ree endured more than the majority of his teammates to make it. He is a pioneer, paving the way for future generations. The seeds he planted at the Montreal Forum are baring their fruits more than ever now as the league increases its diversity year on year. Just like Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson would do some decades later, paving the way for Swedes and other Europeans to make the jump to North America.

Next: Bruins Dance With Stars, Fall in OT

The League should be for the best players regardless of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation or religion.

Thank you Willie O’Ree.

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