Colorado Avalanche left wing Matthew Nieto is a rare breed in the NHL. We all joke that he’s “Long Beach Native” Matt Nieto because so few ice hockey players come from the beach where, you know, it’s beachy rather than icy.
However, Nieto’s heritage and background beyond his birthplace make him an even rarer breed. He’s one of the few Latinos in the NHL.
We all know the NHL is notoriously homogeneous. We often focus on the few African American players that break up that homogeneity. However, while I don’t think there’s been an official comparison, I believe there are even fewer Latinos.