Val James
| Val James | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
February 14, 1957 Ocala, Florida, USA |
||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Buffalo Sabres Toronto Maple Leafs |
||
| NHL Draft | 184th overall, 1977 Detroit Red Wings |
||
| Playing career | 1978–1988 | ||
Valmore Curtis James (born February 14, 1957) is a retired American professional ice hockey left winger, as well as defenseman, who played 2 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.
James was born in Ocala, Florida and raised in Hauppauge, on Long Island, New York. It was on Long Island that James began skating and playing ice hockey in Commack where his father was employed as the manager of an ice rink. James was the first American-born black man to play in the NHL when he debuted with the Sabres, although he was not the first black player. He was preceded by several black Canadians, starting with Willie O'Ree. While James was the first American-born black man to play in the NHL, he was not the first exclusively U.S.-trained black man in the league; that milestone did not occur until 1996, when Mike Grier made his NHL debut. James was the first native-born Floridian to play in the NHL.
James was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 16th Round, 184th overall in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft after playing 2 seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the Quebec Remparts, although he never played in any regulation games for the Red Wings. He also played several seasons, in the late 1970s, for the Erie Blades, in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). James's propensity for using hip checks garnered notoriety in the Erie County Field House, home of the Blades. He signed with the Buffalo Sabres on July 22, 1981. Val James made his NHL debut for the Sabres during the 1981–82 NHL season, playing seven games.
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