Where do McDavid, Matthews, Hughes and Oettinger rank? Guerin is believed to be the first player of Hispanic-American descent to play in the NHL. Josi was named the NHLs best defender in the 2015 season, and he won the Norris Award. The impact of Gomez can be best exemplified with Daniel Perez, an ECHL forward who was the subject of a recent NHL.com article. PGA Tour Announces New Structure for Developmental Tours The Kenai River Brown Bears started play in the league. At the end of his rookie campaign, Matthews was awarded the famed Calder Trophy. As the nation recognizes Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month and its Sept. 15 start date, the Kraken are joining in the celebration with fan events and exhibits. Over the last three decades, the NHL's expansion into the American Sun Belt has served to diversify the league's geography and fan profile. One of the most famous Hispanic hockey players is Manny Malhotra. NHL Totals by Nationality - Active Players Career Regular Season Stats Subscribe to ESPN+ The Corpus Christi IceRays, Jamestown Rebels, Kansas City Scouts, and Springfield Jr. Blues went dormant for the season due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on a number of factors, including the countrys population, the number of hockey players in the country, and the countrys hockey league(s). The Austin Bruins joined the Central Division and played at the Riverside Arena in Austin, Minnesota. The NHL has been working to increase diversity in the league, and black players have been a big part of that effort. Auston Matthews has Hispanic heritage - OneNacion Blog- ESPN The number of Latino players has increased across the NHL, minor leagues and colleges in recent years, including Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty, Al Montoya and Raffi Torres. In the world of soccer, there are so many nationalities represented that it can be difficult to figure out which team stands out among the rest. Winner of this past years Amerigol Cup, Jamaica, has already put together a long shot Olympic hockey bid. [10] Born in Vernon, British Columbia, Kwong was a Chinese Canadian of Cantonese descent.