The NHL is continuing to think outside the box as it works to diversify its fan base.
As Kim Davis, NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth and legislative affairs, said, "It's a movement, not a moment."
The phrase emphasizes that diversity, equity and inclusion should be highlighted and discussed throughout the year and not limited to specific months or on hockey-specific platforms.
One way the NHL did that was to form a partnership with "Immigrantly," a podcast hosted by Saadia Khan, a social entrepreneur and immigrant from Pakistan. Khan started the podcast in 2018 to change the narrative around the perception of immigrants and educate people on the diversity that exists.
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, held every May, the NHL reached out to Khan to collaborate in 2021.
"I was sold from the get-go because for me it was such an interesting collaboration," Khan said. "I thought that the NHL, being this big organization, probably has dealt with a lot of questions around inclusivity and how well they integrate into broader society in terms of showcasing diversity. And [with] 'Immigrantly' being the smaller podcast that's trying to amplify voices of peoples whose opinions are marginalized, how great would that be."
As part of the collaboration, Khan hosted two episodes. The first was with Lali Toor and Dampy Brar, founders of Apna Hockey, a program that provides support to South Asian and other ethnic players, connects the community, highlights players and parents, and spreads information. Brar was the winner of the 2019-20 Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award, named after the first Black player in NHL history, and recognizes an individual who, like O'Ree, has used hockey to make a positive impact on his or her community, culture or society.
The other episode featured Harnarayan Singh and Amrit Gill, hosts of "Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition." Singh became the first Sikh to broadcast an NHL event in English when he was the rinkside reporter for the "Hockey Night in Canada" game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames on Nov. 30, 2016. He has been the play-by-play announcer for more than 700 games on Hockey Night Punjabi, and on Jan. 13, 2021, he did play-by-play for the first time in English for Sportsnet when the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers played on opening night. Gill became the first woman on "Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition" in 2015.
Following the episodes, both "Immigrantly" and the NHL received high praise, including Spotify naming the Apna hockey episode its Podcast of the Week.
Khan and the NHL worked together again in May, releasing two more episodes.
Featured in one episode was Aisha Visram, who became the second woman, and first South Asian woman, to work behind an NHL bench. Visram is head trainer for Ontario, the Los Angeles Kings' American Hockey League, and got the call to work for the Kings when they hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 14 after members of their support staff entered COVID-19 protocol.
The other episode featured Kings defenseman Jordan Spence, who is an Australia-born Canadian of Japanese descent. He made his NHL debut March 10 against the San Jose Sharks.
Khan not only touches on the game of hockey during these four episodes but goes into the unique upbringing of her guests and the diversity throughout the game of hockey.
"I want to humanize experiences," Khan said. "I want to humanize characters and individuals that we are talking about, so they are much more than their careers. They are much more than their public persona or their public identity.
"At the end of the day, no matter how different we look, no matter what language we speak, we have similar strengths, weaknesses, insecurities, ambitions and aspirations. To showcase that human side is extremely important."
Through the podcast, Khan has shed light on the importance of diversity in the NHL and has helped celebrate the fact that the sport of hockey continues to grow among all people.
"It's important for people in the hockey fan base because if they can see themselves or people who look like them, who speak like them, it will expand the fan base and it will also make it easier for the fan base to connect with the sport even more," Khan said.
NHL senior director of hockey development and strategic collaboration Donny Khan, no relation to Saadia, said this is another example of the NHL reaching out to fans from all backgrounds.
"We understand that if we want to introduce hockey to a more diverse audience and invite them into our game, sometimes we have to think outside the box and go to where these audiences are," Donny Khan said. "For us, these collaborations with 'Immigrantly' are just the start of finding new and interesting ways to introduce diverse audiences to our game.
"We hope to continue our relationship with 'Immigrantly' and expand to other platforms."
