Latinos have played a big role in the evolution of sports. Sure, many are aware of their accomplishments in sports like baseball, soccer, boxing and most recently basketball. But one sport that rarely makes headlines or gets the proverbial water-cooler talk when it comes to Latino’s is hockey and they are lighting up the NHL.
Scott Gomez made history in 1998 when he became the first Hispanic player to be drafted by the National Hockey League (New Jersey Devils, 27th overall). After a stint the minors, Gomez got called up to the Devils roster in 1999 and would play until 2016. He finished his career with 181 goals, and 575 assists (756 points). More importantly, he paved the way for today’s Latino players who are now making an impact. With a new NHL season about to be underway, here are the players who will no doubt make their presence felt during the 2016-2017 campaign….
Auston Matthews – Center, Toronto Maple Leafs
Don’t let the last name fool you, Matthews is Mexican on his mother’s side and speaks Spanish. If you’ve never heard of Matthews, here’s why. The 19-year-old rookie was drafted 1st overall by Toronto in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. The California native got the NHL’s attention while playing in the USHL, Team USA’s Under-18 squad, and the Switzerland National League. His 24 total amateur goals and speed skating ability made him a hot commodity. Despite his youth, there’s a very good chance that he’ll make Toronto’s regular season roster. The Leafs are in the midst of a rebuild and they want Matthews to eventually be the new face of the franchise.
Alec Martinez – Defenseman, Los Angeles Kings
Martinez is probably the most successful person on this list as evidenced by his hardware in the form of two Stanley Cup titles (2012, 2014). His 39 career goals puts him on the short list of blue liners that can also contribute offensively. Aside from some brief stints in Europe and the Central Hockey League, the 29-year-old has been a fixture with the Kings -and their minor league affiliates- since 2009.
Matt Nieto – Forward, San Jose Sharks
Nieto, like the aforementioned Matthews, is another one of the NHL’s Latino young guns albeit with more experience. At just 23 years of age Nieto ascended through the Sharks developmental system pretty quickly. He made his NHL debut in 2013 and since then he’s scored 28 goals, and handed out 40 assists in 205 career games. Nieto is proof that player development is the key to success for any franchise. And if the Sharks want to make back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances for the first time in team history, they’ll need to give Nieto a little more ice time and use his skill set.
Al Montoya – Goaltender, Montreal Canadiens
The NHL’s first Cuban-American player has one of the most important jobs that any player could have, backing up the team’s starting goalie. Montoya was given close to $1 million to do just that this year. This is Montoya’s 5th NHL team (also played for Phoenix, New York Islanders, Winnipeg, and Florida), and his experience is valuable. Montoya must always be ready to go at a moment’s notice as he will substitute for starting goalie Carey Price – a fixture of the Canadiens franchise – and occasionally give Price a day off. Either way Montreal should be just fine as Montoya brings 3,185 career saves with him.
Raffi Torres – Forward, Free Agent
Every sport has to have a bad boy. The kind of player who undoubtedly has talent, but is also either stubborn, unpredictable or likes to color outside the lines. Enter Raffi Torres. Unfortunately Torres has become more known for his illegal hits (497 career penalty minutes and 74 total game suspensions) than his play in recent years. But when he does play by the rules he has shown flashes of brilliance. His 260 career points (137 goals, 123 assists) shows that he can shoot the puck when needed. He spent the preseason with the Carolina Hurricanes on a tryout basis, but is currently a free agent. If he can change his aggressive style of play and focus on his offensive abilities, he may get another chance.
