Hear from players, coaches, and administrators involved in all levels of hockey share their insights and experiences related to racial discrimination in hockey.
Lali Toor
Apna Hockey
Lali Toor is a University of Alberta graduate and the creator of APNA Hockey, the first South Asian based hockey network. Like most Canadians, the better portion of Lali’s life revolved around hockey. As an Indo-Canadian hockey player of Sikh descent, Lali decided to create an ice hockey program to develop hockey talent in the South Asian community. APNA Hockey is focused on identifying and growing the number of South Asian hockey players across the country to create a heightened sense of community within the South Asian community. In 2020, APNA Hockey was the recipient of the NHL’s Willie O’Ree Community Hero award.
Devin Buffalo
Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta
Devin is from Samson Cree Nation and displays his youth leadership through sport and education. Devin attended Dartmouth College from 2014-2018, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government. He played four years of Division 1 hockey in the NCAA for Dartmouth. He made achievements such as a Hobey Baker nomination, MVP for Dartmouth Men’s Hockey Team, Second Team ALL-IVY LEAGUE, nominated for Male Athlete of the Year in 2018, and was a finalist for the NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award for his community involvement. Devin also played professional hockey across the United States, playing in South Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, and the Edmonton Oilers ECHL affiliate team: Wichita Thunder. Devin spent his time volunteering and working with various Indigenous sporting organizations within Canada. Devin continues to travel to schools to speak to the youth about the opportunities that open with education and sports. As a student-athlete, Devin focuses on spreading the importance of succeeding in the classroom, which correlates with achieving on the ice, field, or court.
Keely Brown
In-House Legal, Oilers Entertainment Group
Growing up in Kitchener, Ontario, Keely became fascinated with the game of Ringette by the age of 6, back when girls “weren’t allowed” to play hockey. Her love for the game grew as she continued to be a goalie in Ringette and added in playing goal in hockey while attending the University of Toronto.
During her Ringette career, Keely competed in 19 Canadian Ringette Championships and won 9 gold and 8 silver medals. From 2000 to 2012, she was the goaltender for Team Canada, the longest-serving goalkeeper in Ringette Canada’s National Team history. Keely backstopped Canada to gold in 2002 and silver in 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2010. She was the MVP of the Final Game three times and ‘Top Goalie of Tournament’ in 2002 and 2007. Keely’s impact on ringette set the standard for those involved in the sport. In 2012, her leadership skills as a player were transferred to a new role as she became the assistant coach with Team Canada U19 West and with Team Canada starting in 2013.
Keely was inducted into the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame as an Athlete in 2014 and was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame as an Athlete in 2018.
While in university, Keely studied Psychology and Criminology before pursuing a law career at Osgoode Hall Law School. Pairing her first love of sport and second for law, Keely then became the first in-house lawyer for the Edmonton Oilers in 2006. As the company grew to become now what is Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG), Keely heads up OEG’s Legal Department and is a member of OEG’s Executive group.