NASHVILLE -- Anson Carter spoke like a proud hockey coach Tuesday, boasting about his team's depth.
"We've got current and former NHL players, some of the top women's players, Olympians, some of the best players in the world right here," Carter said.
The TNT analyst and retired NHL forward was talking about the League's new Player Inclusion Coalition at its first events, an on-ice clinic and panel discussion with players and parents from the Nashville Predators' Creating Opportunities for Racial Equality (CORE) youth hockey program.
"What the coalition is all about, players using our platform and our perspectives to promote inclusion for everyone connected to hockey from youth hockey players who deserve to grow up without doubting whether hockey is for them to professional players and future professional players who can influence locker rooms so every individual is empowered to bring their full selves to the game," said Carter, who is the coalition co-chair with retired NHL defenseman-turned ESPN hockey analyst P.K. Subban.
The NHL and NHL Players' Association announced the creation of the coalition of current and former NHL players and women's professional hockey players to advance equality and inclusion in hockey on and off the ice.
As part of the launch, the NHL and NHLPA have earmarked $1 million to support the coalition's programs through contributions to grassroots organizations, player-perspective storytelling and other special projects.
The coalition's 20 members include Carter and Subban, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud, Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Reaves, Olympic women's players Sarah Nurse, Brigette Lacquette, Meghan Duggan and Julie Chu, Los Angeles Kings scout Blake Bolden, and retired NHL players JT Brown, Georges Laraque, Al Montoya and Mark Fraser.
"The commitment is to provide the NHL with insights regarding equality and inclusivity that only the players can give us and, with support and funding from the League and Players' Association, to develop and execute action plans to grow the game that we love," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "This is more than about recommendations. This is about specific action plans to grow the game and to make sure it is even more welcoming and inclusive."
The coalition donated $10,000 to CORE, a program presented by Bridgestone that introduces hockey to new players of all backgrounds ages 4-9 at no costs. Some coalition members shared why they felt it was important to join the group.
Reaves, who grew up in Winnipeg, said he was told that he didn't fit the profile of a typical hockey player.
"So, a lot of people were telling me that I couldn't," he said. "But I think as I grew older, I used that as motivation to prove people wrong. So, you kids out there, don't let anybody tell you [that you] can't do something."
Chu, a four-time Olympian who won silver medals with the U.S. women's Olympic teams in 2002 (Salt Lake City), 2010 (Vancouver) and 2014 (Sochi) and a bronze medal in 2006 (Turin), said after the event that joining the coalition was personal.
Chu is married to Caroline Ouellette, a four-time Olympic hockey gold medalist in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. Ouellette was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame earlier this month.
"For me, personally, and my family it's huge because not everyone has had experiences with the LGBTQ+ community," she said. "And so for us to be able to share with our fellow coalition members more of what we go through and the great things that we experience, because the majority of our life is great, and what are our challenges and what are the things that are coming along that worry us for our kids or not necessarily just for our families, but for others to feel welcome in their own skin. I think we've already had some good conversations about that at the coalition already and we're excited to continue that."
