The Cincinnati Cyclones are the first team in professional hockey history to have a starting lineup that includes five black players.
Jalen Smereck, Landon Cato, Josh Burnside, and new rookies Kyle Bollers and Elijah Gonsalves took the ice for the Cyclones’ Central Division opener against the Wheeling Nailers on Saturday night in Cincinnati.
The squad is led by Jason Payne, one of two Black head coaches in North American professional hockey. He also played a role in the historic first meeting between two Black head coaches last season, when he led the Cyclones against the Kalamazoo Wings and head coach Joel Martin, thus the Cyclones are no strangers to history.
Historically, teams have had all-black lines, usually among forwards or all-black defensive pairings. However, this is thought to be the first time in history that a game began with five black players in all five skater positions on the rink.
In 2021, the Tampa Bay Lightning formed a forward line of Mathieu Joseph, Gemel Smith, and Daniel Walcott, a first in NHL history. Earlier that year, Akil Thomas, Joel Ward, and Quentin Byfield played together for the Ontario Reign in the AHL.
The “Black Aces” of the Sherbrooke Saints of the Quebec Provincial Hockey League may be the most well-known example of an all-Black squad. That group included Hockey Hall of Famer Herb Carnegie, his brother Ossie Carnegie, and Manny McIntyre.
Now add the Cincinnati Cyclones to the list of teams that have made important history in hockey’s ongoing quest to be more inclusive and diverse.
Jalen Smereck has been among the top players in the ECHL this season, playing big minutes as the No. 1 defenseman for the Cyclones. A former draft pick of the Arizona Coyotes, Smereck leads the Cyclones with 69 points.
Josh Burnside is in his third season with Cincinnati after spending some time overseas earlier this year with the Coventry Blaze in the Elite Ice Hockey League in the UK. He is a veteran of more than 170 ECHL games.
Landon Cato is in his rookie season with the team after playing three years in the Ontario Hockey League with the Niagara Ice Dogs.
Kyle Bollers and Elijah Gonsalves are just getting their pro careers started. Bollers made his debut Friday after signing out of Toronto Metropolitan University, while Gonsalves was appearing in his first pro game Saturday after wrapping up his season with RIT at the NCAA national tournament.
Payne has been a vocal proponent of inclusivity in the sport of hockey and, as one of the few Black head coaches in the sport, has been doing the work with his own team to show it.
The Cyclones only have a few weeks left this season as they attempt to push for a playoff spot in the especially tight Central Division, but Saturday night’s history-making starting lineup will certainly be a highlight that is far bigger than the games that were played this season.
