As Canadians, we are extremely proud of how diverse our country has become. People of all races and religions can come to our country and feel safe and welcome. It's been fantastic to see players of different backgrounds come to Canada and fall in love with the game of hockey. There is no better example of this than former Leaf Nazem Kadri.
If you're reading on this site, you already know the story. Kadri, a London kid with Muslim heritage, was drafted by the Leafs in 2009. His hard nosed playing style made him a favourite of the fanbase. Unfortunately Kadri was suspended 2 years in a row at crucial points in the playoffs, and because of that, was traded to the Colorado Avalanche.
Kadri had a career year this season, racking up 87 points in 71 regular season games and 15 points in 16 playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup championship. A broken hand should have ended his season, but being the warrior that he is, Kadri was back within 3 weeks. He scored one goal in the Stanley Cup Finals, the game winner in the crucial 3rd game.
Today, Kadri had his day with the Cup, and he chose to make history, becoming the first NHL player to bring the Stanley Cup into a Muslim Mosque. This is an incredible step for the game of hockey, which has been dominated for so long by, well, white people. Having more people, from all different backgrounds getting involved and supporting the sport will only help it grow. As painful as it is to see a Leafs cast off hoisting the cup, I couldn't be prouder of , or happier for Nazem Kadri than I am today.
