After helping guide players in their demand that the NHL cancel two days' worth of playoff games, the Hockey Diversity Alliance is now taking the next steps to ensuring actionable change is achieved long term.
The HDA held a call with NHLers from each conference Friday to discuss the next steps they hope to achieve, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
During the call, the HDA explained it envisions grassroots programs, hiring targets for Black executives, and certain types of businesses it hopes to see the NHL work with.
The alliance showed players some of the "vicious" emails and tweets they've received over the past few months, which was a "real eye-opener" for participants in the call, Johnston adds.
On Saturday, the HDA formally released its list of asks of the league. This "NHL HDA Pledge" includes various targets for the increase of Black personnel around the league. It aims to increase the number of Black executives in the NHL to 3.5% before the end of the 2024-2025 season and Black hockey-related personnel to 5% before the end of the 2020-2021 campaign.
The HDA also wants to implement mandatory anti-racism and unconscious bias education for all NHL employees before the start of the next season. It wants the league to enforce HDA-approved policies and sanctions that reflect a commitment to zero tolerance with respect to racial discrimination and abuse.
The alliance was co-founded by Evander Kane and Akim Aliu in June and is composed of current and former professional hockey players, also including Trevor Daley, Anthony Duclair, Matt Dumba, Nazem Kadri, Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart, and Joel Ward.
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