Wild's Matt Dumba: 'I'm Sick' of NHL's 'Old Boys' Club' Attempts to Handle Racism

Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba called on the NHL to do a better job of combating racism within the sport, calling the current system an "old boys' club."

“It just goes back to everything that's been done for a long, long time in the same fashion," Dumba said, per John Wawrow of The Associated Press. "You know, the old boys' club and them dictating who is and who isn’t welcome. Yeah, I'm sick of it.”

Dumba, who has a Filipino mother and a white father, has been among the most vocal NHL stars calling for increased awareness of racism within hockey. He was the first NHL player to take a knee during the U.S. national anthem in protest of George Floyd's murder by police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020 and helped create the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

"You can kind of get a little bit of a glimpse into the impact we're actually making. That's what makes it worth it," Dumba said. "I do believe that's why we're all doing this. It's for that next generation, so they feel that they do have a voice and feel like they're not alone."

Dumba also called out the NHL for continuing to honor Conn Smythe by having his name on the trophy for playoff MVP. Smythe famously refused to sign Hockey Hall of Famer Herb Carnegie in the 1940s because Carnegie was Black.

The former Toronto Maple Leafs owner went as far as to say he'd give someone $10,000 if they could "turn Carnegie white." Recognized as one of the greatest players of his generation, Carnegie would never get a chance to play in the NHL.

There have been several calls on the NHL to change the name of the trophy in recent years, but the league has chosen silence on the issue.

Dumba said it's "not right" that the league continues to honor Smythe given his history of racism.