Mike Quigley: “In sports there are many ways to honor great players. Most sports have all-stars, MVP honors, and halls of fame. In some…”

“In sports there are many ways to honor great players. Most sports have all-stars, MVP honors, and halls of fame. In some cases, teams choose to retire the number of their biggest stars to recognize their careers and legacies. But in a few rare cases, a league can choose to retire a player's number for every team. That is how Major League Baseball chose to honor the monumental achievements and impact of Jackie Robinson's iconic No. 42. And that is why the NHL should retire Willie O'Ree's No. 22. Willie is recognized as both an ambassador and a pioneer of the sport. O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier and helped end segregation in professional hockey. He changed the game for the better, and he deserves this distinguished honor. He made his debut in the NHL in 1958. His groundbreaking journey through the NHL inspired hundreds of other players, both men and women, and laid the groundwork for Hispanic, indigenous, and Asian players in the NHL, as well as the growth of the women's game. But what makes Willie O'Ree's impact more impressive is the global impact he has made in the sport of ice hockey. There is no better way to say this: If Willie O'Ree had not broken the color barrier when he did, thousands of young hockey players would not be exposed to this sport. Hundreds of organizations that provide inner-city youth opportunities to develop and expand social skills would not be here today.…”