It's been a busy day for the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Not only does Claude Julien return for the first time since he was fired by the Bruins on Feb. 7, Willie O'Ree is being honored for breaking hockey's color barrier 60 years ago on Jan. 18, 1958, and the Bruins announced longtime anthem singer Rene Rancourt will retire at season's end.
O'Ree will drop the ceremonial puck prior to tonight's game between the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. To commemorate O’Ree’s 60th anniversary, the NHL and Bruins are donating to Boston Parks and Recreation a refurbished street hockey rink that will be dedicated ‘Willie O’Ree Rink.’ It will officially open to the community this summer.
“Willie’s speed, his skill and his sheer perseverance earned him a job in a six-team National Hockey League — where jobs were, indeed scarce — 60 years ago,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We celebrate not only the NHL games he played but the countless thousands of boys and girls he has inspired since becoming our Hockey Is For Everyone ambassador in 1998.”
O'Ree played a total of 45 games for the Bruins between two separate stints in the NHL. Since 1998, O'Ree has worked for the NHL as a diversity ambassador. On Wednesday, he was presented with the original score sheet from his Bruins and NHL debut.
The original score sheet presented to Willie O'Ree from his NHL debut on Jan. 18, 1958. pic.twitter.com/B9tbL71z9n
— Joe McDonald (@JoeyMacHockey) January 17, 2018