Maple Leafs celebrate Black History Month, Val James drops puck

The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrated Black History Month in part by bringing back a pioneer from their past,
Val James
.

On Thursday, before their game against the Minnesota Wild at Scotiabank Arena, the team honored James, the first Black player in Maple Leafs history and the first Black American to play in the NHL.
James walked out to center ice to drop the ceremonial first puck between Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds and Wild captain Jared Spurgeon.
James, who grew up in Hauppauge, New York, was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1977 NHL Draft. He made his historic debut with the Buffalo Sabres On November 1, 1981.
The celebration also featured Maple Leafs players wearing special shirts that read "Celebrating Black Excellence" before the game.

The Maple Leafs are
auctioning off the unique shirts
with the proceeds benefitting Black Girl Hockey Club, 501c3 non-profit organization advocating for Black women in ice hockey.