Leveling the Ice

A deep dive into the institutional racism and prejudice in the sport of hockey that persists across all levels - and how it will impact the future of the sport

While professional sports leagues claim to promote diversity and inclusivity, institutional racism remains apparent in all sports, but especially hockey. In Leveling the Ice, sportswriter Steven Sandor challenges the perception that hockey is open to everyone and the idea that the hockey establishment wants more inclusion and diversity.

Featuring interviews with NHL players of color like Darnell Nurse, Matt Dumba, Nazeem Kadri, Zach Whitecloud, Ethan Bear, Jason Robertson, Sandor reveals their stories of exclusion to highlight the deeply ingrained racism in the sport. The players share insights into the racism they faced while they built their careers as well as the racism, they still face today from the hockey establishment

From hockey’s racist past to the ongoing reluctance of the hockey establishment to embrace grassroots diversity initiatives, Sandor delves into how members of communities of color (who only make up 5% of the NHL) are being driven away from the sport to more inclusive ones like soccer and basketball, despite the NHL’s expansion to new markets and demographics with billion-dollar TV deals. Comprehensive and timely, Leveling the Ice grapples with how the institutional racism in hockey will directly affect the future of the sport.

Steven Sandor has been a sports journalist for almost 30 years. He was the North American editor for the European-based hockey glossy, Face-Off and still freelances as an NHL correspondent for Sun Media, Reuters, the Athletic (Detroit edition), the Miami Herald and the Canadian Press.