Leveling the Ice: Confronting Racism in Hockey

by Steven Sandor

A deep dive into the institutional racism and prejudice in the sport of hockey that persists across all levels - and how it will impact the future of the sport

While professional sports leagues claim to promote diversity and inclusivity, institutional racism remains apparent in all sports, but especially hockey. In Leveling the Ice, sportswriter Steven Sandor challenges the perception that hockey is open to everyone and the idea that the hockey establishment wants more inclusion and diversity.

Featuring interviews with NHL players of color like Darnell Nurse, Matt Dumba, Nazeem Kadri, Zach Whitecloud, Ethan Bear, Jason Robertson, Sandor reveals their stories of exclusion to highlight the deeply ingrained racism in the sport. The players share insights into the racism they faced while they built their careers as well as the racism, they still face today from the hockey establishment

From hockey’s racist past to the ongoing reluctance of the hockey establishment to embrace grassroots diversity initiatives, Sandor delves into how members of communities of color (who only make up 5% of the NHL) are being driven away from the sport to more inclusive ones like soccer and basketball, despite the NHL’s expansion to new markets and demographics with billion-dollar TV deals. Comprehensive and timely, Leveling the Ice grapples with how the institutional racism in hockey will directly affect the future of the sport.

Genres: Hockey, Sports, Nonfiction

200 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

When I'm not writing books, I'm the features editor at the Edmonton Journal/Postmedia. I'm the former editor of Edify Magazine.

I am also a freelance writer, whose works has been published in more than 100 magazines, collections and newspapers worldwide. I am a freelance sports broadcaster, as well.

I like to listen to very loud music when I write. Like Slayer.

Reviews

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I was skeptical of this book when I saw it on the shelf, not due to its topic but rather its slim stature. 180 pages on this complex and important of a topic? Sandor is a local-to-me author and a recognizable name in sports journalism, so my skepticism was somewhat mollified when I saw he was at the helm.

I respect and appreciate what Sandor set out to do here. This is a Goliath of a topic and I think he handled it with the respect it deserves. His interviews with players were some of the most interesting aspects and I admire that he was also forthcoming and self aware of his own limited perspective on the topic. It is evident he put time and effort into the research behind the book, and clear he learned a lot along the way.

Overall, I think this is a good primer and starting place if you are interested in the topic, but ultimately feel the book could have gone deeper. He was asking all the right questions but it just didn’t quite satisfy. I still question the page count after coming to the end of the book; he covers a lot here but lands more on the side of breadth than depth. A valuable read, but there is more to be said.

[Cathy Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read an advanced copy of this book. The author covers the Oilers and provides a short comprehensive overview of racism that exists currently in hockey and the efforts that are being made to combat it from juniors to the NHL. Highly recommended.

[Elias Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was skeptical of this book before reading- how does a white author provide any meaningful commentary on the nature of minorities in a historically majority white, cis, straight, sport? I was pleasantly surprised. Rather than spending the time waxing poetics about how white people must do better and apologizing for the lack of action without providing any useful resources or calls to action- Sandor uses this book as a platform to uplift BIPOC voices and includes several ways for white players and fans to make the rink a safe space for minority hockey players. I was recommended this book through a tweet after the team USA announcement came public and Robertson was not on the roster, a call with justifications made that have no merit and likely lie within a racist belief system. This book is a very valuable read for any who enjoy the sport of hockey and want to see it be a safe space for anyone who wants to watch or play the sport.

[bailey]

i added a ton of books to my tbr while reading this, including: call me indian by fred saskamoose a fly in a pail of milk by herb carnegie, and changing on the fly by courtney szto! this book has a casual presentation, but it’s still obvious that it was thoroughly researched and you can tell a lot of care went into putting this together.

i do think the structure of the book could use some work? there are times sandor repeats himself, others where it feels like he hasn’t totally tackled an issue only for it to come back twenty pages later.

thank you to edelweiss for the arc!

[Andrew Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book packs a big punch. Sport journalist Steven Sandor looks at the culture of hockey and what has been/is being/can be done about its tendency to exclude on the basis of race and class. He is not afraid to examine his own past behavior, but he mostly relies on interviews with players and executive, and deep dives into past controversies, to make his case. A clear, strong voice talking about a vital societal concern. As a casual hockey fan, I also learned a lot about the complex web of American and Canadian leagues outside of the NHL.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up because of the importance of the topic

[claudesbookcase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tough but important read. Does a good job diving into the many issues hockey needs to confront in order to survive and I enjoyed the player interviews a lot