The time for action has arrived.

Nearly three years after the NHL announced the founding of the Player Inclusion Committee as part of a suite of initiatives intended to combat racism and accelerate inclusion efforts, the league and the NHL Players’ Association announced Tuesday that the committee has now evolved into the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition — a group of current and former NHL players and pro women’s players who are working to advance equality and inclusion in the sport of hockey on and off the ice.

Tuesday’s launch event includes the announcement that $1 million USD from the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund has been committed to programs that promote diversity in the sport of hockey.

The NHL Player Inclusion Coalition is co-chaired by former NHL players Anson Carter and P.K. Subban. The group is made up of 20 members with a range of perspectives across players of color, LGBTQ+ players, and allies.

When goaltender Al Montoya was drafted sixth overall in 2004, he embarked on a journey to become the first Cuban-American to play in the NHL, and the league’s first native Spanish speaker. Former tough guy Georges Laraque endured racism and bullying while growing up in the Montreal area as the son of Haitian-born parents. He was drafted 31st overall in 1995 and now works was a public speaker and activist, bringing hockey to underserved communities.

Both were inaugural members of the Player Inclusion Committee and are pleased to see the program’s evolution into the new Coalition.

“It was a group of players, past and present, that came together to really create these recommendations and set them up to make it a better game,” Montoya said. “Fast-forward a few years ahead, and here we are today. It’s turned into a coalition and what that means to us is, we’re putting plan to action. With the help of NHLPA and the NHL, we’re really able to make a difference. We’ve built these pillars to make changes and that’s something that we’re really proud of.”

Since 2021, Montoya has served as the director of community outreach for the Dallas Stars, focused on helping the organization grow the game of hockey among underrepresented fans, including Spanish-speakers like himself.

During the 2022-23 season, each coalition member selected an organization that supports diversity and inclusion in hockey to receive a $5,000 USD grant from the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition Action Fund.

Montoya’s grant supported the University of Texas at Arlington’s University Crossroads program, which helps provide higher education opportunities to historically underserved communities in North Texas. His grant funds a scholarship in sports business which will help create an accelerated pipeline of diverse candidates in front offices, with the goal of of inspiring students from more backgrounds to consider careers in hockey.

“Back in the time that we played, we didn't have programs like this,” Laraque said candidly. “When I was facing racism, there was no program to help me. I had to have a tough skin and we had to shut up. We couldn't say anything because we don't want to lose our job.

“Now, because of this group, there’s resource for these guys that are suffering. They don’t have to suffer in silence any more. And we’re a resource to also grow the game to make sure that the things that we had to go through in order to make it to the NHL, no other kids ever have to go through that.”

Laraque serves as an ambassador for two of his former teams, his hometown Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers. Within those roles, he supports many youth programs that serve minorities. His $5,000 grant went toward a new program for girls in grades five and six in the Montreal area as part of Hockey 4 Life, an organization that provides new Canadian youth with an opportunity to play ice hockey at no cost.

“It’s for young black girls,” he said. “Mostly, they’ve never skated before. We provide them them hockey equipment and teach them how to skate. Every Friday in Montreal. They learn about the sport, so awesome, and they fall in love with the sport.”

Tuesday’s launch of the coalition is taking place while the NHL is community gathered in Nashville this week for the NHL Awards, which took place on Monday, and the 2023 Draft on Wednesday and Thursday.

Part of the financial support earmarked by the NHL and the players’ association includes $750,000 to support a new NHL Player Inclusion Coalition Action Fund, intended to further the group’s mission by directing resources toward grassroots programs that welcome and celebrate diverse hockey audiences.

A $10,000 grant from that fund will support the Nashville Predators Creating Opportunities for Racial Equality (CORE) program, which introduces the game of hockey to new players ages 4 to 9 at no cost. On Tuesday, coalition members will take place in an on-ice clinic and Q&A panel for CORE at the Ford Ice Center Bellevue in Nashville.