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Revision as of 20:00, 3 March 2008 by 207.195.51.208 (talk) (→Playing career)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Willie O'Ree, ONB (born October 15, 1935, in Fredericton, New Brunswick) is a retired professional ice hockey player, known best for being the first black player in the National Hockey League. He played as a winger for the Boston Bruins. He is frequently but erroneously referred to as the first African American player, though he is in fact Canadian of African descent. Additionally O'Ree is referred to as the Jackie Robinson of ice hockey due to breaking the colour barrier in the sport.
Awards and honours
- WHL Second All-Star Team (1969)
- Lester Patrick Award (2000)
- Order of New Brunswick (2005)
- 'Willie O'Ree Place' or 'place Willie O'Ree' (in French) (Fredericton arena, dedicated 2008)
Career statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1951-52 | Fredericton | City (Sr.) | 6 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 18 | ||
| 1951-52 | Fredericton | NBJHL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1952-53 | Fredericton | NBJHL | 12 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1952-53 | Fredericton | NBSHL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1953-54 | Fredericton | NBSHL | 23 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 15 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 10 | ||
| 1954-55 | Quebec | QJHL | 43 | 27 | 17 | 44 | 41 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 | ||
| 1955-56 | Kitchener Canucks | OHA | 41 | 30 | 28 | 58 | 38 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1956-57 | Quebec Aces | QHL | 68 | 22 | 12 | 34 | 80 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | ||
| 1957-58 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1957-58 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1957-58 | Quebec Aces | QHL | 57 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 43 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 1958-59 | Quebec Aces | QHL | 56 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 74 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1959-60 | Kingston Frontenacs | EPHL | 50 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 41 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1960-61 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 43 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 26 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1960-61 | Hull-Ottawa Canadiens | EPHL | 16 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 21 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1961-62 | Hull-Ottawa Canadiens | EPHL | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1961-62 | Los Angeles Blades | WHL | 54 | 28 | 26 | 54 | 57 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1962-63 | Los Angeles Blades | WHL | 64 | 25 | 26 | 51 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1963-64 | Los Angeles Blades | WHL | 60 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 45 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 10 | ||
| 1964-65 | Los Angeles Blades | WHL | 70 | 38 | 21 | 59 | 75 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1965-66 | Los Angeles Blades | WHL | 62 | 33 | 33 | 66 | 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1966-67 | Los Angeles Blades | WHL | 68 | 34 | 26 | 60 | 58 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1967-68 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 66 | 21 | 33 | 54 | 54 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1968-69 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 70 | 38 | 41 | 79 | 63 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | ||
| 1969-70 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 66 | 24 | 22 | 46 | 50 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 | ||
| 1970-71 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 66 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 47 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | ||
| 1971-72 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 48 | 16 | 17 | 33 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1972-73 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 50 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 41 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1972-73 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 18 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1973-74 | San Diego Gulls | WHL | 73 | 30 | 28 | 58 | 89 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1974-75 | San Diego | Cali. Sr. | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ||
| 1975-76 | San Diego | Cali. Sr. | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ||
| 1977-78 | San Diego Sharks | |||||||||||||
| 1978-79 | San Diego Hawks | PHL | 60 | 30 | 24 | 54 | 37 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NHL Totals | 45 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
Notes
- "Willie O'Ree remembers his groundbreaking NHL debut like it was yesterday". Canadian Press. 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
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References
- Willie O'Ree career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
- Black Players in the NHL
- Willie O'Ree on Breaking the NHL Colour Barrier - NPR