The NHL on Thursday announced their plans for a series of diversity initiatives, and Penguins CEO and president David Morehouse is among the executives involved with the initiatives.
The newly-formed Executive Inclusion Council, which is comprised of Morehouse and several other league executives and owners, "will be committed to spearheading more inclusive thinking and more inclusive outcomes throughout the hockey ecosystem by candidly assessing its current state; identifying opportunities for positive change; and developing tangible action steps and benchmarks that will advance both the inclusion and diversity of the sport. This Council will focus on the importance of metrics and accountability."
Additionally, three committees were formed to "develop action-oriented solutions that positively impact the access, opportunity and experiences that underrepresented groups have in the game – and in the business – of hockey."
A Player Inclusion Committee was formed with former players Anson Carter, Jamal Mayers, Al Montoya, Scott Gomez, and Kevin Weekes, current NHL players PK Subban, Mika Zibanejad, Jaccob Slavin, Jujhar Khaira, and Ryan Reaves, and current and former female players Blake Bolden, Julie Chu, Meghan Duggan, Brigette Lacquette, and Sarah Nurse.
The Youth Hockey Inclusion committee includes representatives from Hockey Canada and USA Hockey and other organizations, and the Fan Inclusion Committee that includes representatives from several teams, including Penguins Director of Human Resources Tracey McCants Lewis.
As part of the initiatives, the NHL announced that it will be working with the Hockey Diversity Alliance to develop a "grassroots hockey development program to provide mentorship and skill development" for Black, Indigenous, and other children of color in the Greater Toronto Area, with a similar program in the U.S. coming at a later date.
The NHL and NHLPA will also implement mandatory inclusion and diversity training for NHL players and NHLPA staff members that will begin in the 2020-21 season.