What it means to me to see an Arab-Canadian win the Stanley Cup
By Rahef Issa
I have been in Jordan over the past month visiting family and friends, but it hasn't stopped me from keeping up with the NHL finals. This year felt different. While my beloved Maple Leafs have been out of the playoffs, I have watched in admiration as a former Leafs player and NHL All-Star Nazem Kadri played with grace, talent, and perseverance. Kadri, from London, Ontario, plays for the Colorado Avalanche and is now a Stanley Cup champion.
Last month, we witnessed Kadri face an immense amount of anti-Arab racism and Islamaphobia simply because he is an Arab-Muslim hockey player in a predominantly "white" sport. His wife, Ashley, posted some of the hateful messages he was receiving on social media. They were horrific.
I was horrified but not surprised. It wasn't long ago, in 2002, when Wayne Simmonds had a banana thrown onto the ice while playing in an exhibition game. In 2022, the ugly side of hockey fandom and racism persisted, making me question whether there was room for racialized players in the NHL.
As quickly as that thought came to mind, it disappeared as I watched Kadri dominate game after game, especially in Game 4 during the NHL finals, when Kadri gave Colorado an overtime win after missing four games following hand surgery.
Having players like Kadri, who are proudly Arab-Canadian, or players like Simmonds, are examples of players who are racialized but are also some of the League's best. They inspire young, racialized hockey players from across Canada who may imagine, not just being in the NHL but also being a star one day.
Sport should be a place where you are judged only on your skill, dedication to the game, and perseverance. Unfortunately, sports culture has not gotten there yet, but we have to believe that we are moving in the right direction.
What makes this moment unique is knowing that there is a kid out there watching who looks like Kadri, who eats a labna and za'atar sandwich before going to practice and now knows that they could one day be a Stanley Cup Champion.
Mabrook Kadri, thank you for being an inspiration to all of us.
Rahef Issa is a proud Arab-Canadian and is passionate about sports, especially Hockey, and specifically how data and modelling can be used to explore, analyze, and even predict future outcomes. Rahef Issa has been featured on multiple sports podcasts such as the Weesesports Chronicles Podcast, Zone Time, Sdpn Sports, Lamenating the Leafs and more. You can follow her on Twitter @rahef_issa to connect.