, which I really appreciate," Harris said. "I really appreciate him speaking out and not being afraid of any judgment and showing support to those communities."
Harris' friend and returning Power Player, 17-year-old Tina Nguyen from Mississauga, Ontario, shares the same sentiment, saying she wants the NHL to be inviting of everyone.
When she first started watching hockey, Nguyen -- a big Toronto Maple Leafs fan -- said she felt isolated because she didn't see many other people from Asian backgrounds in and around the sport.
Over the years, she's seen that change. Now, with NHL Power Players, she's helping facilitate that change.
"Speaking from personal experience, for years I always looked around me and didn't see anyone that looked like me," Nguyen said. "Being able to be in Power Players and having other girls and other people from diverse backgrounds, we relate to one another and feel like we belong. It feels like a family."
One big hockey-loving family.
Another Leafs fan and first-year Power Player, Seth Hyde from St. John's, Newfoundland, has played hockey since he was 3 years old.
"In Newfoundland, hockey is a bit of a religion here," Hyde said. "My dad played. His grandfather played. On my mom's side, her dad played, her grandfather played, and her brother played. It goes back generations for a lot of families."
So, the 14-year-old wants people to get hooked on hockey from a young age.
"It's important to me to get teenagers involved in hockey," he said. "Once you get them involved young, you [make a fan] for life."
As is the case for 13-year-old Kavan Mistry, a first-year Power Player from Redondo Beach, California, who learned to skate at age 6 and has been going to Los Angeles Kings games since he was a child.
"Being a part of the NHL has always been a dream of mine, whether it's as a player, general manager or coach, so learning a lot about the inner workings of the NHL in the Power Players program is amazing," Mistry said. "I also want to learn about the people. I'm finding myself connected with people from Ottawa, Montreal and Nashville and everyone is so different, but so similar. Learning about the NHL and people who care about it is huge for me."
Mistry knows how important it is to create a safe atmosphere around the game. His mom is involved in coordinating the Kings' Indian Night, which has been held for the past two seasons.
"It feels very similar to what we're doing with the Power Players," Mistry said. "We're trying to get more people into the game, with the way Indian Night does for the L.A. Kings. We're growing the game and spreading the culture because hockey is for everyone."
