Black history and ice hockey Black history in ice hockey has roots dating back to the mid 20th century . One of the first black stars of ice hockey was Herb Carnegie during the Great Depression . Willie O ’ Ree would break the NHL ’ s colour barrier with the Boston Bruins . Colored Hockey League . The Coloured Hockey League of the Maritimes began as an initiative of Black Baptists churches in Nova Scotia . The aim was to increase and retain male membership . The league consisted of teams from Halifax , Africville , Hammond ' s Plains , Dartmouth , Truro , Amherst and Charlottetown , P . E . I . All games were on an invitational basis and no trophy was ever used . Historically , they were the first league to allow the goaltender to drop to the ice to stop the puck . Ontario . Ontario was geographically large , and it was impossible in the early 20th century to organize an all - black league like in Nova Scotia . Some of the early black players in Ontario hockey history include the following . In 1899 , Hipple Galloway played for a team based out of Woodstock in the Central Ontario Hockey Association . Herb Carnegie ’ s hockey career began in 1938 with the Toronto Young Rangers and continued in the early 1940s with the Buffalo Ankerites , a team in a mines league that played in mining towns in northern Ontario and Québec . While with the Ankerites , Carnegie was part of the Black Aces line . The other line members consisted of his brother , Ossie Carnegie and Manny McIntyre , originally from Fredericton , New Brunswick . They were recognized as much for their talent and skill as their skin colour ( Herb was at centre , Ossie was right wing , McIntyre was the left wing ) . In the semi - professional Quebec Provincial League , Herb was named most valuable player in 1946 , 1947 and 1948 . In 1948 , Carnegie was given a tryout with the New York Rangers and offered a contract to play in the Rangers ' minor league system . However , he was offered less money than he was earning in the Quebec league and turned down all three offers made by the Rangers organization during his tryout . NHL . On April 3 , 2001 , Jay Sharrers made NHL history as the first black referee to officiate an NHL game . He worked his first game as an NHL ref when the Philadelphia Flyers faced the visiting Florida Panthers . Willie O ’ Ree . O ' Ree is referred to as the " Jackie Robinson of ice hockey " due to breaking the colour barrier in the sport . He was called up to the Boston Bruins of the NHL to replace an injured player . He made his NHL debut with the Bruins on January 18 of the 1957 – 58 NHL season , against the Montreal Canadiens , becoming the first black player in league history . Michael Marson . Marson played five seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals and the Los Angeles Kings . He was drafted in the 2nd Round , 19th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft and would become the second African - Canadian to play in the NHL . Mike Marson and Bill Riley ( the third black player in the NHL ) became the first two black players to play in an NHL game together . The two played with the Washington Capitals . Women ’ s hockey . Angela James played in the Central Ontario Women ' s Hockey League , precursor to the National Women ' s Hockey League and Canadian Women ' s Hockey League . She represented Team Canada internationally . She scored 34 points ( 22g , 12a ) in 20 games over four women ' s world championships , including 11 goals in five games in the inaugural IIHF World Women ' s Championships , held in Ottawa in 1990 . In 2008 , she , along with Cammi Granato ( USA ) and Geraldine Heaney ( CAN ) , became the first women to be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hockey Hall of Fame . James is the daughter of a black father and white mother ; she is the only African - Canadian to captain a national hockey team .