Akim Aliu had high hopes for Kim Davis — especially after their early dialogue.
The NHL’s executive vice-president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs seemed open, Aliu thought at the time, to ideas put forward by the Hockey Diversity Alliance, an organization started by a group of current and former players of colour looking to share their experiences in hopes of bettering the sport.
Aliu, one of those founding members, said the tone quickly changed. And he believes Davis has fumbled her chance to make an impact.
“Extremely disappointing,” Aliu said in a recent interview. “Kim Davis without (NHL commissioner) Gary Bettman on the call versus Kim Davis with Gary Bettman on the call are two different people.
“She has missed a massive opportunity to come in as a woman of colour and, for once, be in a position of power in hockey.”
Davis, who started with the NHL in 2017 and has been at the fore of its diversity and inclusion initiatives, declined to address Aliu’s criticism when contacted by The Canadian Press.
“I’ve been in the business of change work in major corporations for over 40 years,” she said. “I don’t need to be affirmed by Akim. What affirms me is progress.
“The point at hand is young people and growing the game. I thought that’s what (the HDA) was about, not talking about what I am or am not doing.”
The links between the HDA and NHL frayed after 2020’s initial push. The league launched — or relaunched in the HDA’s eyes — its Player Inclusion Coalition in June with the NHLPA to “advance equality and inclusion” in the sport.
The HDA, which includes current NHLers Nazem Kadri and Matt Dumba, felt betrayed, said Aliu.
“Zero relationship,” Aliu, the HDA’s chairman, said of the NHL. “They actively tried to silence us.”
Aliu was born in Nigeria before his family eventually relocated to Toronto.
A journeyman pro hockey player who appeared in seven NHL games, Aliu revealed in November 2019 then-Calgary coach Bill Peters bullied and directed racist slurs at him in the minors a decade earlier. Peters resigned and the league instituted a personal conduct policy in hopes of tackling racism in a traditionally white-dominated sport.
So where did things go wrong for the HDA and NHL?
“Just as they’re doing with other individuals … they essentially bring you in and buy you, in a way, to silence you,” Aliu said. “We were a group that would not be silenced.”
The HDA — which Aliu said is supporting more than 700 kids in hockey from underserved communities across the Greater Toronto Area, and has plans to expand programs to other cities — is hosting its first-ever WinterFest this weekend.
The event aimed highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion in hockey is set for Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods Park as the NHL is holding its all-star festivities in the city.
“We’ve been looked at for a long time as a group that’s confrontational,” Aliu said. “We’re the only group that calls out the hockey establishment, but it’s important to highlight all of the work.”
Aliu was also critical of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition.
“Nothing happens,” he said. “Essentially they’re giving each one of the players a sum of money to put into a cause that’s important to them. It’s not necessarily a cause to grow the game.”
Davis and the NHL pushed back on that sentiment, pointing out that along with funding, there have been eight player-led initiatives since last summer, including learn-to-play clinics, ball hockey programs and mentorship sessions.
“Diversity is not a monolith,” Davis said. “Diversity has many tentacles. I honestly don’t know what the disconnect is.”
The NHL is also holding several community events during all-star week, including its “hockey rink for all,” a youth jamboree and an all-star Pride Cup.
“Is everything perfect? Of course not,” Davis said. “But I think we’re putting the tools and the policies and the accountability elements in place. This is a long game.”
Aliu said one area where he’s seen change is the media being more aware of what he called “performative” gestures.
“Within the communities and the few people doing this work, it’s a nice sight,” he said.
Aliu added that while there has been progress, in his view the game has taken a step back.
“Let’s just cancel all the Pride jerseys because seven guys didn’t want to wear them,” he said of the NHL’s decision to ban LGBTQ+ warmup threads. “They can go around and have all their slogans.
“People actually doing the work know it’s an act.”
TORONTO ALL-STAR
Canada’s largest city, which last hosted the NHL’s big bash back in 2000, has welcomed other sports’ big events in the interim.
The NBA all-star game was held at Air Canada Centre — now Scotiabank Arena — in 2016. Major League Soccer held its showcase at BMO Field in 2008 when England’s West Ham United met the MLS all-stars.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2024.
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Joshua Clipperton’s weekly NHL notebook is published every Wednesday.
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps will begin their post-season campaign with a play-in game against the Timbers in Portland on Wednesday.
The ‘Caps (13-13-8) ended the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Saturday and finished eighth in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings.
The eighth and ninth spots from each conference meet in a play-in game this week, with the winner going on to face the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.
Each eighth-place team was set to host the play-in game, but Vancouver announced Friday that its home stadium, B.C. Place, is not available, so the club will cede home-field advantage to Portland (12-11-11), the ninth-place team.
The ‘Caps and Timbers split their three-game series during regular-season play, with each side taking a win, a loss and a draw.
The first round of the MLS playoffs is set to begin next weekend.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Diego Luna scored a tying goal in the 73rd minute and Real Salt Lake added another on an own goal for a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night to set a single-season club record for points.
Real Salt Lake (16-7-11) secured the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference and will face Minnesota in the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs. RSL reached 59 points this season, topping the 2012 team with 57.
Vancouver (13-13-8) will play the Portland Timbers on Wednesday in a wild-card game for a chance to play top-seeded LAFC.
Luna settled a long cross from Braian Ojeda before taking four touches to slot home a shot inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season.
RSL went ahead in the 83rd when Vancouver goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer misplayed a lofted ball that rolled into the back of the net.
Vancouver midfielder Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 58th to become the first player in club history to produce multiple seasons with at least 10 goals and 10 assists.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Juan Soto’s arrival last winter was supposed to be that move that pushed the New York Yankees back to the top.
They’re one step away.
Soto hit a three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning and the Yankees advanced to their 41st World Series — and first in 15 years — by beating the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.
Baseball’s biggest brand is going back to October’s main stage.
Soto, who was acquired in a seven-player trade from San Diego in December, pushed the Bronx Bombers into position with one big swing.
This was why he came, for this moment and for so many more.
“We’re right where we belong,” said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who pulled off the deal for Soto.
The Yankees will try to win their 28th title against either the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers. Game 6 of the NL Championship Series is on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
In the third consecutive tight game in three nights at Progressive Field, Austin Wells walked with one out in the 10th and Alex Verdugo followed with a grounder to Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez, whose soft toss to the bag was dropped by rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio for an error.
Hunter Gaddis struck out Gleyber Torres and had Soto in a 1-2 count before New York’s stylish outfielder sent a shot over the wall in center. Soto danced down the first-base line and paused to celebrate with his teammates before circling the bases.
“I was just saying to myself, `You’re all over that guy. You’re all over that guy. He ain’t got anything,’” said Soto, who moved alongside his manager, Aaron Boone, as the only New York players to homer in an extra-inning, series-clinching win.
Luke Weaver got the final three outs with Lane Thomas flying out for the last one, which was caught by Soto.
“We get to play for a world championship,” Boone said. “That’s pretty sweet.”
The 25-year-old Soto is eligible for free agency this winter, and Yankees fans chanted “Re-sign Soto!” during the postgame festivities. He’s expected to get a contract upwards of $600 million, and his heroics in Game 5 may have raised his price.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and was named ALCS MVP as the Yankees took care of the Guardians in five games. It wasn’t easy.
New York won the first two at Yankee Stadium without much fanfare or any major drama. However, it was a different story in Cleveland as all three games at Progressive Field were nail-biters.
The Guardians rallied to win Game 3 on two, two-run homers in their last two at-bats, and the Yankees held on to win Game 4 after blowing a four-run lead.
“This was a rollercoaster and we were able to just keep punching back,” Stanton said. “We know there’s much more work to do and it’s only uphill from here and we got to get it done.”
Cleveland just didn’t have enough and a surprising season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt ended just short of a World Series. The franchise remains without a title since 1948, baseball’s current longest drought.
“There’s only one team that gets to win the last game of the year, and unfortunately it’s not going to be us,” Vogt said. “But we accomplished a lot as a group. We got better. We worked extremely hard. I couldn’t be more proud of this group. We just didn’t get quite as far as we wanted to.”
The Yankees are back in the World Series, back where their fans expect them to be every year.
The club’s 82-80, fourth-place finish in the AL East last season led to some “soul searching as an organization” during the winter, according to Boone, who has been widely criticized but is one of just three managers to take New York to playoffs in six of his first seven seasons.
While the team’s core stayed mostly intact, getting Soto in a blockbuster trade on Dec. 7 — New York sent five players to San Diego for the three-time All-Star — accelerated the team returning to title contender.
“That was a good day,” Boone said with a laugh before the game.
Stanton’s 446-foot rocket into the left-field bleachers tied it at 2 in the sixth and chased Tanner Bibee, who had struck out New York’s dangerous DH in his first two at-bats and held the Yankees scoreless for the first five innings.
It was Stanton’s fourth homer in this series — his third in three days — and his 16th in the postseason, moving him into fourth place on the club’s career list behind Bernie Williams (22), Derek Jeter (20) and Mickey Mantle (18).
Before the game, Boone was asked what makes Stanton so good.
“He can hit it harder than anyone, first of all,” Boone said. “So there’s the physical nature of what he does that’s different than just about everyone in the world.”
But Boone went on to compliment Stanton’s discipline at the plate, “his approach, his process, how he studies guys.”
“There’s something that he does when he gets familiarity with people on top of being very physically gifted,” Boone said.
The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the fifth off Carlos Rodón on Steven Kwan’s RBI single with two outs. But Cleveland missed a big chance for more, leaving the bases loaded when Lane Thomas grounded out on the first pitch to him from Mark Leiter Jr.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: LHP Nestor Cortes (elbow strain) had another successful live batting practice session. The reliever remains on track to join the Yankees on their World Series roster. Boone said Cortes would throw again early next week. Cortes went 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA in 30 starts.
