15 top African-American NHL players who are changing the game
Several African-American NHL players like Kyle Okposo, Seth Jones, and Quinn Hughes are redefining hockey at the top level. These players lead in scoring, defence, and leadership roles across the league.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Dustin Byfuglien became the first Black American-born player to win a Stanley Cup in 2010.
- Mike Grier became the league’s first Black general manager.
- At least seven Black players have won the Stanley Cup, including Grant Fuhr and Trevor Daley.
- Around 34 Black players are currently active in the NHL.
Top African-American NHL players
In compiling the list of the top African-American NHL players, we used recorded statistics and accomplishments as of the end of the 2024/2025 NHL season. We acknowledge that player rankings and achievements may evolve as active careers progress. This list draws on verified data and expert insights from trusted sources, including Sportskeeda, NHL, and Last Word on Sports.
| Rank | NHL player | Total points |
| 1 | Kyle Okposo | 614 |
| 2 | Dustin Byfuglien | 525 |
| 3 | Dirk Graham | 489 |
| 4 | Seth Jones | 441 |
| 5 | Mike Grier | 383 |
| 6 | Donald Brashear | 205 |
| 7 | Jordan Greenway | 159 |
| 8 | Ryan Reaves | 137 |
| 9 | K’Andre Miller | 132 |
| 10 | C.J. Suess | 127 |
| 11 | Dakota Joshua | 78 |
| 12 | J.T. Brown | 72 |
| 13 | Jalen Chatfield | 58 |
| 14 | Caleb Jones | 55 |
| 15 | Robbie Earl | 7 |
15. Robbie Earl
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- Date of birth: 2 June 1985
- Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Teams played for: Toronto Maple Leafs; Minnesota Wild
- Position: Left wing
Earl scored seven NHL points over 47 regular season games between 2008 and 2011. The American athlete debuted with the Toronto Maple Leafs on 2 February 2008 and earned one assist.
Earl moved to the Minnesota Wild in January 2009 and scored six goals in 32 games. He starred at Wisconsin University, winning the 2006 NCAA championship and securing Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player.
14. Caleb Jones
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- Date of birth: 6 June 1997
- Place of birth: Arlington, Texas, U.S.
- Teams played for: Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings
- Position: Defenceman
Jones, the younger brother of Seth Jones, has 55 points in the NHL as a defenseman. He was a Pittsburgh draft pick who later played for Edmonton and Florida. The player scored a career-high 8 goals in 2021–22 with Edmonton. Jones was a member of Edmonton’s team during their 2022 run to the Western Conference Final.
13. Jalen Chatfield
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- Date of birth: 15 May 1996
- Place of birth: Ypsilanti, Michigan
- Teams played for: Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes
- Position: Defenceman
Chatfield has 58 NHL points as a defenseman. He is a University of Michigan alum who has played several seasons with Carolina before joining Seattle. Jalen has generally served as a steady third-pair blueliner, logging ice time on the penalty kill. The NHL player has career highs of 3 goals and 16 assists in 2022–23.
12. J. T. Brown
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- Date of birth: 2 July 1990
- Place of birth: High Point, North Carolina, U.S.
- Teams played for: Tampa Bay Lightning; Anaheim Ducks; Minnesota Wild
- Position: Right wing
He scored 72 points (23 goals and 49 assists) in 365 NHL regular season games. He played right wing for Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild. The Tampa Bay organisation signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2012
Brown became the first NHL player to raise a clenched fist during the anthem in 2017. In 2023 he joined the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition and funded the Seattle Pride Hockey Association.
11. Dakota Joshua
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- Date of birth: 15 May 1996
- Place of birth: Dearborn, Michigan
- Teams played for: St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks
- Position: Centre
Joshua totalled 78 points as a left wing over parts of several NHL seasons. He broke into the league with Columbus and later played for the Seattle Kraken. Joshua's best year was 2022–23 with Seattle, when he scored 31 points in 73 games. The NHL player is known for his physical forechecking and strong defensive play in the bottom six.
10. C.J. Suess
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- Date of birth: 17 March 1994
- Place of birth: Roseville, Minnesota, U.S.
- Teams played for: Winnipeg Jets (NHL), Manitoba Moose (AHL)
- Position: Centre
Suess amassed 127 NHL points in his career as a bottom-six center. After starring at Minnesota State University, he joined the Minnesota Wild, where he carved out a role as a checking forward and penalty killer. Suess’ best NHL season was in 2019–20, when he scored 12 goals and 24 assists. He also had a brief stint with Detroit beginning in 2023.
9. K’Andre Miller
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- Date of birth: 21 January 2000
- Place of birth: St Paul, Minnesota
- Teams played for: New York Rangers
- Position: Defenceman
K’Andre Miller recorded 132 points (36 goals) in his NHL career, all with the New York Rangers. As a rookie in 2021, he made the NHL All-Rookie Team and immediately became a fixture in New York’s top defensive pairing.
The prominent player averaged over 21 minutes per game in recent seasons and was a key penalty killer. In 2025, he signed an eight-year extension with the Carolina Hurricanes.
8. Ryan Reaves
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- Date of birth: 20 January 1987
- Place of birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Teams played for: St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Position: Right Wing
Reaves totalled 137 NHL points in a 15-season career. He was a key role player on two Stanley Cup champions: St. Louis in 2019 and Vegas in 2023. As a fourth-line right winger, Reaves set a career high with 20 points (9 goals) in 2018–19.
He is best known for his physical, enforcer style, amassing over 2,000 penalty minutes. Reaves’ contributions in the playoffs helped his teams reach the postseason, and he brought veteran leadership to every locker room (now with San Jose in 2025).
7. Jordan Greenway
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 16 February 1997
- Place of birth: Canton, Massachusetts
- Teams played for: Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres
- Position: Left Wing
Greenway compiled 159 NHL points, playing left wing for Minnesota and Buffalo. As a power forward, he posted a career-best 48 points in 2020–21 with the Wild. Greenway consistently contributed to the penalty kill and played a physical style.
6. Donald Brashear
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- Date of birth: 7 January 1972
- Place of birth: Bedford, Indiana
- Teams played for: Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers
- Position: Left wing
Brashear played 1 025 NHL games across five different NHL teams. He scored 85 goals and contributed 120 assists over his long career. He totalled 205 points before retiring after the 2009–10 season.
Brashear accumulated 2 634 penalty minutes, making him one of the league’s toughest enforcers. He became the first black United States born player to play 1 000 NHL games.
5. Mike Grier
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- Date of birth: 5 January 1975
- Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
- Teams played for: Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks
- Position: Right Wing
Grier has totalled 383 points (162 goals, 221 assists) in 1,060 NHL games. He was known as a reliable two-way winger over 14 seasons with Edmonton, Washington, Buffalo and San Jose. Grier helped Buffalo reach the playoffs on several occasions and was a strong penalty-killer and checker.
Mike provided steady secondary scoring as he has career highs of 21 goals and 43 points in a season. After his playing career, Grier made history as the first Black NHL general manager in 2022.
4. Seth Jones
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- Date of birth: 3 October 1994
- Place of birth: Arlington, Texas
- Teams played for: Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers
- Position: Defenceman
Seth Jones scored 441 career points as a defenseman. He won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2025, leading all playoff defensemen in points that season. Jones became a four-time NHL All-Star (2017–2020) and was named to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team in 2018.
Across stints with Columbus, Nashville, Chicago and Florida, Jones consistently produced offensively from the blue line (often near 40+ point seasons) while logging 20+ minutes per game. In 2022–23, he helped the Panthers reach the Stanley Cup Final.
3. Dirk Graham
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- Date of birth: 29 July 1959
- Place of birth: Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Teams played for: Minnesota North Stars, Chicago Blackhawks
- Position: Right wing
Graham registered 489 NHL points over 772 regular season games spanning 1983 to 1995. He captained the Chicago Blackhawks from 1989 to 1995 as the first black NHL captain. The defensively skilled right wing won the 1990–91 Frank J. Selke Trophy for outstanding forward play.
2. Dustin Byfuglien
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 27 March 1985
- Place of birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
- Teams played for: Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets
- Position: Defenceman
Byfuglien amassed 525 career points (177 goals, 348 assists) in 869 NHL games. He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, becoming the first Black American-born player to do so.
As an imposing defenseman/forward, Byfuglien made four All-Star Game rosters (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016) and earned a spot on the NHL’s Second All-Star Team in 2007. Dustin’s best offensive seasons included a 26-goal campaign in 2010–11. He also logged over 1,000 penalty minutes as a feared power forward.
1. Kyle Okposo
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 16 April 1988
- Place of birth: St Paul, Minnesota
- Teams played for: New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers
- Position: Right Wing
Okposo is one of the famous African-American NHL players who are changing the game. He tallied 614 NHL points (242 goals, 372 assists) over a 17-season career. He capped his career by winning the Stanley Cup in 2024 with the Florida Panthers.
Over long stints with the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers, Okposo played 1,051 games, served as Buffalo’s team captain, and reached the playoffs four times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2024).
Are there any African-Americans in the NHL?
Notable names include Seth Jones, Mike Grier, and K’Andre Miller. These successfull players have made significant contributions through scoring, defensive skill, and leadership.
How many Black players have won the Stanley Cup?
At least seven Black players have won the Stanley Cup. Grant Fuhr leads the group with five championships. Others include Dustin Byfuglien (Blackhawks, 2010) and Trevor Daley (Penguins, 2016 and 2017).
Has there been a Black captain in the NHL?
Dirk Graham became the NHL's first Black captain in 1989 when he led the Chicago Blackhawks. Jarome Iginla later served as captain of the Calgary Flames from 2003, earning the role after leading the league in goals and points.
How many Black players are in the NHL right now?
As of the 2024–25 season, approximately 34 Black players are active in the NHL. They make up about 2.7 to 3 percent of the league’s roughly 1,200 players.
The success of African-American NHL players shows how determination and opportunity can break long-standing barriers. Their impact is visible in championship runs, leadership roles, and defensive dominance. With continued support and visibility, more Black athletes will follow in their footsteps.
Legit.ng recently published an informative post about players with the most NFL MVPs. In American football, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is considered one of the most prestigious, with every player yearning to have it on their resume.
The MVP award is highly coveted as it is a testament to a player's individual prowess and significant contribution to the team’s overall success. Read on to discover the best NFL players with the most MVPs in history.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
