LOS ANGELES – As part of festivities leading up to the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft, members of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition joined youth hockey participants from the LA Kings’ “Black, Silver & Bold” program for a special on-ice presentation announcing a $20,000 grant to expand the program’s pathways for comprehensive hockey development.
Led by Hockey Analyst and LA Kings Inclusion Specialist Blake Bolden, “Black, Silver & Bold” (BSB) is a free development program that promotes community and skill development for elite youth hockey players and their families in Los Angeles.
Bolden is also a member of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition (NHL PIC), a group of current and former NHL players and women’s professional hockey players who work to advance inclusion in hockey, on and off the ice. At today’s event, Bolden was joined by fellow NHL PIC members Anson Carter, Mark Fraser, Anthony Stewart, and Georges Laraque.
The new grant supports BSB’s three-day intensive summer camp for skill development as well as immersive hockey development events that allow program participants to learn about community building in hockey. The grant will also create a series of mentorship sessions to provide comprehensive support for success, covering topics such as nutrition, performance psychology, leadership, identity, and life beyond the game.
“When we launched Black, Silver & Bold several years ago, we recognized the power of opening doors for elite youth players who have historically not progressed to the highest levels of hockey,” said Bolden. “As the program continues to grow, we’re so proud of the intentionality and strategy of BSB’s work to support the next generation of players, and we’re excited to incorporate more opportunities with the help of this grant. Our players will never forget this special visit from the NHL PIC.”
Funding was provided through the NHL PIC Action Fund, which was established in 2023 – with financial support from NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund – to empower players to provide support to grassroots programs that welcome and celebrate new hockey audiences.
Throughout the 2024-25 season, the NHL PIC Action Fund has supported a variety of player-led projects, such as Jon Merrill’s Hockey’s Beauty Club, an educational anti-bullying program to build a new standard of inclusive leadership; Zach Whitecloud’s collaboration with the Little Native Hockey League to cover the cost of tournament participation for youth with financial need; and Julie Chu’s introductory hockey programming at Concordia University to encourage girls to play for the first time. This season, the NHL PIC also furthered its efforts to support leadership development among NHL prospects through player activations at the AHL level.
“The partnership between the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund and the NHL PIC has deepened our relationship with leaders throughout the sport who are expanding hockey outreach in powerful ways,” said Rob Knesaurek, NHL Senior Vice President, Youth Development and Industry Growth. “We look forward to future collaborations that build upon the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition’s positive impact.”
“When players are empowered to shape initiatives that help grow the game, they can leverage their experiences to come up with innovative ideas that benefit the entire hockey community,” said Chris Campoli, NHLPA Divisional Player Representative. “Since its founding, the NHL PIC has exemplified the importance and value of incorporating player perspectives to achieve meaningful results.”
This week in Los Angeles will feature two additional events with members of the NHL PIC, including an NHL STREET hockey panel discussion and grant announcement on June 26 and a community hockey clinic co-hosted with NHL Top Prospects from the 2025 NHL Draft on June 27. Bolden, Carter, Fraser, Stewart, and Laraque are expected to be joined by JT Brown, Al Montoya, Ryan Reaves, and PK Subban.
