What just happened at the 2025 NHL Draft over the weekend wasn’t just a moment. It was a movement.
For the first time ever, more than 20 players of color, including at least 10 Black athletes, had their names called on draft night — marking the most diverse class the league has ever seen, the NHL reports. From top picks to late-round gems, Black talent didn’t just show up, they took up space and made sure the world felt it.
Leading the way was Kashawn Aitcheson, a proud Toronto native selected 17th overall by the New York Islanders. Then there was Shamar Moses from Scarborough, chosen in the fifth round by the Florida Panthers. Growing up, Moses looked up to P.K. Subban, but on draft night, it was his own words that carried weight: “I wouldn’t be here without those who came before me. Now, it’s on us to keep the door open.”
This year’s draft wasn’t just a win for hockey, it was a win for representation, for legacy, and for every young kid watching from a rink, a living room, or a rec center thinking, “That could be me.”
The NHL’s made moves in recent years with programs like the Player Inclusion Coalition and Hockey Is for Everyone to build access for underrepresented youth. But real change hits different when you can see yourself right there on that stage, jersey in hand.
And now? We do.
Cover photo: 2025 NHL Draft Makes History with Record Number of Black Players / Photo Credit: Kashawn Aitcheson / Instagram