Color of Hockey: 3 Black players combine for historic AHL goal

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he has a roundup of news and notes, led by three players who combined for a rare feat in the American Hockey League.

Justin Bailey, Tyson Hinds and Noah Warren didn’t realize what they had done when they did it.

Bailey, a forward for San Diego of the American Hockey League, tipped in a shot from Hinds, a defenseman, who had received a pass from Warren, his defense partner, at 8:27 of the third period in a 5-1 win against Tucson on March 28.

“We're in a playoff push and every game is so important right now that we weren’t thinking about it too much,” Bailey said. “But as soon as we got into the locker room, we were kind of like, ‘Hey, you know?’”

The three Black players combined on the goal for the Anaheim Ducks' AHL affiliate; it was a feat so rare, league officials aren’t sure if it ever happened before in the AHL's 89-year history.

It has happened at least three times in the NHL, all by players from the Atlanta Thrashers. Evander Kane scored with assists from Anthony Stewart and Dustin Byfuglien in a 4-1 win against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 28, 2010. Seventeen days later, it happened twice more; Kane scored again, assisted by Stewart and Johnny Oduya, followed by a Stewart goal assisted by Kane and Byfuglien in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 16, 2010.

Bailey was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round (No. 52) of the 2013 NHL Draft, and has 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 141 NHL games for the Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks. He said the goal will always be special for him.

“Any time you get moments like this … it kind of puts things in perspective in how early we are as humans in the sport,” Bailey said. “It is obviously a white dominated sport. They say hockey is for everyone, and it’s good to see that there are moments like this, and it’s obviously good to be a part of as well.”

Hinds, chosen by the Ducks in the third round (No. 76) of the 2021 NHL Draft, said the goal was a testament to hard work. He and Bailey work on tip-ins regularly during morning skates and practices.

“We practice it a lot, so I guess it paid off,” the 22-year-old said. “I guess we'll just keep it going and, hopefully, we’ll have more goals.”

Warren, taken by Anaheim in the second round (No. 42) of the 2022 NHL Draft, said the goal reflects hockey’s growing diversity.

“Hockey is hockey on the ice,” the 20-year-old said. “You don't play because you're a certain color, certain ethnicity. I just think everyone's accepted now.”

Ross and Weekes call NCAA Division I men’s regional.

Jason Ross Jr. considers Kevin Weekes is a role model for his transition from veteran NHL goalie to the first Black hockey analyst on national broadcasts when he joined CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada” in 2009.

Weekes said he admires the 26-year-old's versatility and rapid rise in sports broadcasting, which includes calling some Chicago Blackhawks games on WGN Radio 720-AM in 2022.

The two were all smiles when they were paired for the first time for the NCAA Men’s Division I hockey regional games for ESPN+ from March 28-30 at PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It's believed to be the first time two Black broadcasters called a collegiate hockey game together on ESPN.

“It was a blast. I felt like we clicked right away,” said Ross, who calls a variety of college sports for ESPN in addition to hockey for the Big Ten Network and Detroit Lions preseason football. “It felt like we’d known each other for 30 years.”

“I felt the same,” Weekes said. “And he’s not even 30 years old.”

Ross did the play-by-play and Weekes provided analysis for Penn State’s 5-1 victory against Maine on March 28 and a 3-2 overtime win against Connecticut on March 30. Penn State will face Boston University in the Frozen Four semifinals at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2)

In addition to working the games, Ross served as a human shield of sorts for Weekes, who’s recovering from surgeries in March to repair his left knee.

“I got to be ‘Weekesy’s’ security guard, navigating him through crowds of people who wanted to hoard him and take him away on his leg,” Ross said. “I got to really guard him this week, that was my main role. Play by play was the second-hardest part.”

The Allentown Regional wasn’t the first time Weekes, who’s also an analyst for NHL Network, has worked a hockey game with another Black broadcaster. He and retired NHL defenseman P.K. Subban called the Nashville Predators' 3-0 win against the Hurricanes for ESPN on April 6, 2023.

Weekes said that game, the Allentown Regional and Ross announcing the women’s Frozen Four semifinals and championship on with AJ Mleczko and Blake Bolden March 21-23 on the ESPN platform helps show that people of color and women play major roles in hockey, be it on the ice or in the broadcast booth.

“The more that people see the exposure, both for those people that look like us and those that don't," Weekes said, "it becomes more normalized, more accepted, and ultimately, something that I think just becomes very relatable and something that people can really aspire to become, which I think is important.”

Dorringtons' hockey legacy grows

Forward Max Dorrington made his professional debut with Bridgeport, the New York Islanders AHL affiliate, in a 5-2 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ AHL farm team, on March 23. Three days later, his younger brother, defenseman Jackson Dorrington, played his first pro game with Hartford, the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate, in a 4-3 overtime loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on March 26.

The siblings from North Reading, Massachusetts, are distant cousins of the late Art Dorrington, who became the first Black player to sign an NHL contract when he joined the New York Rangers organization in 1950. Dorrington, who died on Dec. 29, 2017 at the age of 87, never reached the NHL.

“It feels great to continue on carrying on Art’s legacy,” Max Dorrington said. “It's kind of surreal at first, but it’s now settling in a little bit. It's definitely just added motivation every day, going to the rink and focusing on getting better so I can keep playing at this level and find more success.”

Max, 23, signed an amateur tryout contract with Bridgeport on March 20 following five seasons of NCAA Division I hockey at St. Lawrence University and Sacred Heart University. He had 56 points (29 goals, 27 assists) in 155 games.

Jackson, 20, a sixth-round pick (No. 176) by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2022 draft, signed an amateur tryout contract with Hartford on March 23 after three seasons at Northeastern University. He had 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 105 NCAA Division I games.

The Rangers acquired the younger Dorrington, along with center J.T. Miller and defensemen Erik Brannstrom pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. New York then signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract on March 23.

“Yeah, I mean, it's actually a crazy kind of full circle moment,” Jackson said. “I was traded here halfway through the year. I’m kind of following his (Art Dorrington’s) footsteps and, hopefully, I can continue on what he started with the Rangers.”

The Dorrington brothers will face each other when Hartford plays at Bridgeport on Wednesday.

“It's the first time we've ever played against each other," Max said, "and we haven't been on the same ice for a game in a few years now, since we were at Cushing Academy (Ashburnham, Massachusetts) together. It should be exciting.”