MISSISSAUGA – Mainstream hockey fans of today may not have heard of Fred Saskamoose, but you can bet most indigenous hockey players and fans coming to participate in this year’s 2018 edition of the Lil NHL have.
Sasakamoose was born in 1933, at Ahtahkakoop First Nation, Saskatchewan. His grit and determination made a way for him to become the first Indigenous player in the NHL, when he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks and took the ice at Maple Leaf Gardens against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Friday, February 27th, 1954.
That was in the days of the six-team league which altogether employed only about 125 players and the competition for those jobs was fierce.
Although he did not stay up with the Black Hawks for long, 11 games, Sasakamoose did play and officially became the first of his people to break that ground. Since then there has been many others follow;
Current NHL rosters:
Rene Bourque (Metis) – Colorado Avalanche
Micheal Ferland (Cree) – Calgary Flames
Vern Fiddler (Metis) – New Jersey Devils
Dwight King (Metis) – Los Angeles Kings
Brandon Montour (Six Nations) — Anaheim Ducks
Jordan Nolan (Ojibwe) – Los Angeles Kings
T.J. Oshie (Ojibwe) – Washington Capitals
Carey Price (Ulkatcho First Nation) – Montreal Canadiens
Jordin Tootoo (Inuk) – Chicago Blackhawks
Past NHL’ers
Arron Asham (Metis)
Blair Atcheynum (Cree)
George Armstrong (Ojibway)
Craig Berube
Henry Boucha
Chris Brant
John Chabot
Jonathan Cheechoo (Cree)
Dan Cloutier
Shane Corson
Kimbi Daniels
Scott Daniels
Ron Delorme (Metis)
Chad Denny (Mi’kmaq)
Gerald Diduck
Scott Ferguson
Theo Fleury (Metis)
Dan Frawley (Ojibwa)
Grant Fuhr
Stu Grimson
Ted Hodgeson (Cree)
Stan Jonathan (Mohawk)
D.J. King (Metis)
Wayne King (Ojibwa)
Denny Lambert (Ojibwa)
Reggie Leach (Ojibwa – Berens River First Nation)
Norm Maracle
Sandy McCarthy (Mi’kmaq)
Cody McCormick (Ojibwe)
Dale McCourt
Jamie McLennan
Vic Mercredi
Brants Myhers (Frog Lake First Nations)
Ric Nattress
Jim Neilson
Ted Nolan (Ojibwa)
Gino Odjick (Algonkin)
Mike Peluso
Rich Pilon
Rudy Poeschek
Wade Redden
Jamie Rivers
Everett Sanipass (Micmac)
Gary Sargent
Fred Sasakamoose (Sandy Lake Cree)
Chris Simon (Ojibwa)
Bobby Simpson (Mohawk)
Sheldon Souray
Frank St. Marseille (Metis – Ojibwa)
Bryan Trottier (Metis)
Darcy Tucker
Dennis Vial
Dody Wood
Harry York (Cree)
