Left to right: Daniel Walcott, Mathieu Joseph, and Gemel Smith
Photo Credit: HOCKEYDB.COM, NHL.COM, HOCKEYDB.COM
10 minutes before the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers were set to face off on May 10th, Tampa coach Jon Cooper unveiled his lineup. For the first time in NHL history, three black men were assigned to a line together, and were given the nod to start the game for the team.
In a move that many around the league are praising, the Lightning started the game with Mathieu Joseph, Gemel Smith, and Daniel Walcott occupying the forward positions. NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes went so far as to say that this is a ‘watershed moment’ for the league.