Who is Ray Neufeld? All you need to know about the first black hockey player from Manitoba

Ray Neufeld was the first professional ice hockey player from Manitoba who was of Black heritage and played in the NHL from 1984 to 1991. Neufeld was born on March 15, 1963, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He played for several teams during his NHL career, including the Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, and Philadelphia Flyers.

Neufeld is known for his physical play and his ability to score goals. He is a right winger and has played in 595 NHL games, scoring 157 goals and 123 assists for 357 points. After his NHL career, Ray Neufeld continued to play professional hockey in Europe, retiring in 2001.

In addition to his hockey career, Neufeld has been involved in coaching and player development. He has worked as an assistant coach for several junior hockey teams in Canada, including Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

Ray Neufeld's NHL career

Ray Neufeld is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played as a right-winger and was known for his physical playing and scoring abilities.

Neufeld began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Sudbury Wolves during the 1978-79 season. He played two seasons with the Wolves, scoring 68 goals and 140 points in 131 games. In 1980, he was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the NHL Entry Draft.

He made his NHL debut with the Jets during the 1980-81 season, playing 18 games and scoring three goals and three assists. He split time between the Jets and their minor league affiliate, the Sherbrooke Jets of the American Hockey League (AHL), for the next few seasons before becoming a full-time NHL player in the 1984-85 season.

Ray Neufeld played for the Jets until 1991. He is known for his physical play and was a fan favorite in Winnipeg. He is also known for his scoring ability, and he recorded three 30-goal seasons during his time with the Jets.

In 1991, Ray Neufeld was traded to the New York Islanders, where he played for two seasons. He then spent a season with the San Jose Sharks before finishing his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers during the 1994-95 season. Neufeld played 1,056 NHL games, scoring 307 goals and 584 points.

After his NHL career, Ray Neufeld played for a few seasons in Europe before retiring from professional hockey in 2000. He then became a coach and worked with various minor league teams. He was an assistant coach with the Knoxville Ice Bears of the Southern Professional Hockey League during the 2007-08 season and served as the head coach of the Danville Dashers of the Federal Hockey League during the 2012-13 season.

In addition to his coaching career, Neufeld has worked as a color commentator for the Winnipeg Jets on TSN 1290 radio. He has been involved in various charitable organizations, including the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba.