Akim Aliu (born April 24, 1989) is a Nigerian born Canadian-Ukrainian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Aliu, who was born in Africa but raised in Ukraine and Canada, later played seven NHL games over two seasons with Calgary. [22] He appeared in five games with the Flames in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, but spent most of the year with the Heat. Akim met with Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster and convinced him that he deserved another opportunity. [11] He scored 11 goals and 6 assists in 48 games, but was demoted to the ECHL's Toledo Walleye late in the year. [11], Aliu signed his first professional contract on August 25, 2008, a three-year deal with the Blackhawks. Tony Deynzer, head equipment manager for the team, was placed on administrative leave after the incident became public.. Deynzer and Aliu had a private conversation since where an apology was issued and accepted, according to a statement released by Aliu … On January 21, 2020, Aliu resumed his professional career, securing a contract for the remaining 14 games of the 2019–20 season with Czech club, HC Litvínov, of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). Aliu’s father Tai is Nigerian. Aliu played under Peters during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. Akim Aliu is certainly an interesting player under many points of view. We spoke Russian at home.’ https://thenhl.fandom.com/wiki/Akim_Aliu?oldid=14820. He scored 11 goals and 6 assists in 48 games, but was demoted to the ECHL's Toledo Walleye late in the year. [21] The Flames re-signed Aliu following the season as they agreed on a one-year deal. Aliu was born in Nigeria to a Nigerian father and Ukrainian mother. [3] He had a natural talent for the game and within a few years was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the first round by the Windsor Spitfires. He also missed time during the season after suffering a broken hand in a bar fight. [18] He played 10 games in Colorado, and was later loaned to Austrian Hockey League club EC Red Bull Salzburg for a December tournament,[19] but entered the Christmas break without a team to play for. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) Former Blackhawks prospect Akim Aliu … That’s the argument being made by Akim Aliu in a story he has written for The Players’ Tribune, published on Tuesday. His nationality is Canadian and he is of Nigerian-Ukrainian ethnicity. Born in Nigeria and moved very young first to Ukraine, ... My father is a geologist, and my mother an accountant. [1], He scored his first two NHL goals and was named the game's first star two days later in a 5–2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. He did not figure in the new management's plans,[7] and after failing to make the roster of Winnipeg's AHL affiliate, started the season again in the ECHL with the Colorado Eagles. On November 25, 2019, while a free agent, Aliu went public with allegations that at-the-time current Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters, while coaching the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, directed racial epithets at him in the locker room. It was his best junior season as he scored 61 points in 60 games and then played his first professional games, joining Chicago's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs for two games once his junior season ended. All of them delivered emotional victim impact statements on Thursday detailing their grief. [7] As a result, Downie was suspended for five games, Aliu for one game, and both players demanded trades out of Windsor. He missed the final two games of the regular season for disciplinary reasons but returned to play 21 games in the playoffs as the Wolves reached the finals, losing to the Plymouth Whalers. Over a month later, Aliu returned overseas to sign for the remainder of the season with Russian club, Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL, on November 6, 2015.[25]. He described her as having a “giving heart,” just like her mother.In Humboldt County, authorities were alerted to the homicides at about 8:15 a.m on Feb. 10., when Shelly Moon’s surviving 13-year-old sister dialed 911 to report finding “her mother, sister, and father bleeding out,” according to the affidavit.“It’s just a tragedy all around,” Sheriff Honsal told The Daily Beast. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Akim Aliu was born in Nigeria and raised in the Ukraine and considers himself a Ukrainian-Canadian. He was born in Nigeria to a white, Ukrainian mother and a Nigerian father; the family moved to Kiev when he was a baby. Akim was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the first round by the Windsor Spitfires. The Flames are looking into the incident after Akim Aliu, a Nigerian-born former hockey player tweeted about Peter's use of the offensive word a decade ago in the minor leagues NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. [16] Following the season, his playing rights were traded to the Atlanta Thrashers. Aliu was scrolling through the timeline on his phone when he saw a report of how just-fired Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock had mistreated Mitch Marner, his prized rookie forward. His father, Tai (a Nigerian) attended university in Kyiv on a track and field scholarship where he met and married Aliu's mother, Larissa (a Ukrainian). Our lawyers are currently representing Akim Aliu, a former NHL hockey player, addressing issues of systematic racism in professional hockey. His ECHL rights were traded by the Condors to the Orlando Solar Bears on March 12, 2015. [9], The Spitfires traded Aliu to the Sudbury Wolves following the incident, where he was forced to sit out two months due to OHL rules that forbade trading 16-year-olds. [24] He featured in 10 games with the Americans before he was released and later signed by the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL on January 23, 2015. Aliu, who was born in … He featured in 10 games with the Americans before he was released and later signed by the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL on January 23, 2015. Aliu made his NHL debut on April 5, 2012. [13] It was his best junior season as he scored 61 points in 60 games and then played his first professional games, joining Chicago's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs for two games once his junior season ended. They asked for his passport and a bribe to stop them from arresting him, despite his having done nothing wrong. After leaving for treatment, Akim returned to the ice and fought Downie. He had never skated before then. His father, Tai (a Nigerian) attended university in Kyiv on a track and field scholarship where he met and married Aliu's mother, … [26] As a result, Peters submitted his resignation four days later. Uncomfortable with the political climate following the de… Uncomfortable with the political climate following the demise of the Soviet Union, his parents moved the family to Canada when he was 7 years old and settled in the Toronto area. Pollard's mother and best friend watched the sentencing via video link, while his aunt and uncle listened over the phone. What I didn’t know was that Akim’s mother is Ukrainian and that he grew up in Kiev….’My family didn’t come to Canada until I was twelve,’ he says, ‘I didn’t speak any English. Moe Mantha was given a 40-game ban from coaching by the league for the incidents and also suspended for one year as the team's general manager. [17] Aliu spent the majority of the 2010–11 season with the Thrashers' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, but also played on loan with the Peoria Rivermen and had another stint in the ECHL, with the Gwinnett Gladiators. I assumed as much when I saw that Akim was born in Okene, Nigeria. Aliu was a second round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks, 56th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and has played for several AHL and ECHL teams in both the Blackhawks and Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets organizations before a trade to the Calgary Flames. [14] Aliu was again returned to junior for the 2008–09 season. He appeared in five games with the Flames in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, but spent most of the year with the Heat. He was demoted to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL during the 2009-10 season. He was not offered a new contract by the Flames, and joined the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs on a tryout agreement. He played in 15 games with the Condors before he was loaned to play a solitary game to complete his season with the Oklahoma City Barons of the AHL. The Thrashers were relocated north for the 2011–12 NHL season, becoming the Winnipeg Jets, but Akim did not figure in the new management's plans and after failing to make the roster of Winnipeg's AHL affiliate, started the season again in the ECHL with the Colorado Eagles. Akim remained a controversial figure in the OHL, serving ten-games in suspensions early in the 2006–07 season but was also ranked as the fifth best prospect for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in an early season update by the league's scouting services. [14] In addition to his two games with Rockford at the end of the 2007–08 campaign, Aliu joined Rockford for five games at the end of 2008–09, scoring two goals, before joining the team full-time in the 2009–10 AHL season. His first pair of skates were purchased at a garage sale and he began playing in a house league in the Toronto neighbourhood of Parkdale. Professional hockey player Akim Aliu tells his deeply personal immigrant story and discusses how he confronted and spoke out against racism in the world of professional hockey, using his voice to co-found the Hockey Diversity Alliance and make substantial change regarding racial justice and racial equity in the NHL. Aliu considers himself Ukrainian Canadian and attests that he and his family live according to Ukrainian culture; and that he would have played for the Ukrainian national hockey team, if asked. Akim Aliu alleged on social media earlier this week that Peters “dropped the N bomb several ... Aliu and Peters were together during the 2009-10 season with ... whose mother … Aliu played under Peters during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. After leaving for treatment, Aliu returned to the ice and fought Downie. His father, Tai, a Nigerian, attended university in Kyiv on a track and field scholarship where he met and married Aliu's mother, Larissa, a Ukrainian. The Spitfires traded Akim to the Sudbury Wolves following the incident where he was forced to sit out two months due to OHL rules that forbade trading 16-year-olds. He is most famous for an altercation with teammate Steve Downie after his refusal to participate in a hazing incident while playing major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The family moved to Canada before Aliu was a teenager. [1] Aliu considers himself Ukrainian Canadian and attests that he and his family live according to Ukrainian culture; and that he would have played for the Ukrainian national hockey team, if asked. The family initially struggled while Tai studied to become a computer programmer. The team added it had no effect on any player personnel decisions involving Aliu. [2] Aliu still speaks Ukrainian to his family. Aliu was born in Okene, Nigeria, but grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine. [4] Uncomfortable with the political climate following the demise of the Soviet Union, Aliu's parents moved the family to Canada when he was 7 and settled in the Toronto area. As a result, Downie was suspended for five games, Akim for one game and both players demanded trades out of Windsor. Akim considers himself Ukrainian Canadian and attests that he & his family live according to Ukrainian culture; and that he would have played for the Ukrainian national hockey team if asked. San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane and former NHLer Akim Aliu announced the creation of the organization, ... noting some stopped speaking to his white mother … Akim was a second round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks (56th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. 9-Year-Old Boy Died in the Arms of His Wounded Mother During Calif. Mass Shooting: Police People [10] He missed the final two games of the regular season for disciplinary reasons but returned to play 21 games in the playoffs as the Wolves reached the finals, losing to the Plymouth Whalers. Akim carried a reputation as a difficult player to manage into the draft and despite his early rating, he fell to the second round where the Chicago Blackhawks selected him 56th overall. Akim Aliu was conceived on April 24, 1989, in Okene, Nigeria. [12] Aliu remained in junior for the 2007–08 OHL season, but with a new team as he was traded to the London Knights. Arriving in Canada, Akim spoke fluent Ukrainian and Russian, but no English and had never played hockey. Akim was born in Okene, Nigeria, but he grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine. [2][3] He has a brother, Edward. Meaningful dialogue on racism in hockey is long overdue — listening to Akim Aliu is a start. He is the child of a Nigerian dad Tai and a Ukrainian mother Larissa. [12], The Thrashers were relocated north for the 2011–12 NHL season, becoming the Winnipeg Jets. Akim remained in junior for the 2007–08 OHL season, but with a new team as he was traded to the London Knights. Aliu -- who is black -- spelled out the whole thing in a strongly worded op-ed for The Player's Tribune ... detailing several alleged incidents of abuse at the hands of Downie. On June 23, 2010, he was included in a deal that also saw Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel head to Atlanta in exchange for Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb, Jeremy Morin and two draft picks. He appeared in a total of 47 games that season, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists. [7], Aliu met with Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster and convinced him that he deserved another opportunity. Hockey is not for everyone. Aliu moved from Nigeria to the Ukraine shortly after he was born and his Nigerian father and Russian mother moved the family to Canada when he was 12. He told me that the police had stopped him on his way home the day before for no reason. [1] His father, Tai, a Nigerian, attended university in Kyiv on a track and field scholarship where he met and married Aliu's mother, Larissa, a Ukrainian. He has a brother, Edward. The fight and the reasons for it was international news and strained the relationship between Akim and his teammates. He scored his first point, assisting on a Michael Cammalleri goal in a 3–2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. On June 23, 2010, Akim was included in a deal that also saw Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager & Brent Sopel head to Atlanta in exchange for Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb, Jeremy Morin and two draft picks. Akim Aliu (born April 24, 1989 in Okene, Nigeria) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent; he most recently played with the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL. Akim scored his first point, assisting on a Mike Cammalleri goal in a 3–2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. There’s very little fresh messaging provided by Akim Aliu in the essay he has written for The Players’ Tribune. [3], He carried a reputation as a difficult player to manage into the draft, and despite his early rating,[1] fell to the second round, where the Chicago Blackhawks selected him 56th overall. He spent the majority of the 2010–11 season with the Thrashers' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, but also played on loan with the Peoria Rivermen and had another stint in the ECHL with the Gwinnett Gladiators. Aliu was born in his father’s native Nigeria and raised in his mother’s native Ukraine. On August 25, 2008, Akim signed his first professional contract: a three-year deal with the Blackhawks. Aliu, who was born in Nigeria and raised in Canada, said the incident happened when he was with the Rockford IceHogs, an affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, during the … [10] He appeared in a total of 47 games that season, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists. Aliu still speaks Ukrainianto his family. [11] He remained a controversial figure in the OHL, serving ten games in suspensions early in the 2006–07 season but was also ranked as the fifth best prospect for the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in an early season update by the league's scouting services. [28], "Aliu has new outlook, fresh start with Flames", "ГНЕЗДО — Аким Алиу: "С радостью сыграл бы за Украину, "Ex-NHL player Mantha suspended in hazing incident", "IceCaps add another college-trained defenceman to roster", "Turco joins Austrian host team for Red Bull tourney", "Akim Aliu scores twice as Abbotsford Heat defeat Houston Aeros 4-1", "Flames put away Ducks to close season as Akim Aliu scores twice", "New deal freshly minted, Akim Aliu aims to muscle way onto Flames", https://theahl.com/stats/player/2385/61/akim-aliu, "Amerks sign forward Aliu to try-out contract", "Aliu speaks publicly on allegations against Peters", "Litvinov gain boost to defense with experience from NHL", "Hockey Diversity Alliance formed by seven current, former NHL players", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Akim_Aliu&oldid=1016228582, Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Slovakia, Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Russia, Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Sweden, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 6 April 2021, at 01:59. [20] The Flames recalled Aliu late in the season, and he made his NHL debut on April 5. Following the season, his playing rights were traded to the Atlanta Thrashers. The Flames re-signed him following the season as they agreed on a one-year deal. He has a brother, Edward. He grew up in Ukraine before the family moved to Canada when he was seven. On October 10, 2014, Aliu signed with the Rochester Americans for the beginning of the 2014–15 season, after a successful training camp tryout. [11] Following the draft, Aliu swore that he would make teams regret not picking him earlier. Aliu played 15 games with the Condors before he was loaned to play a solitary game to complete his season with the Oklahoma City Barons of the AHL. The team was fined $35,000. As a free agent over the summer without having appeared with the Solar Bears, Akim attended the Lake Erie Monsters training camp for the 2015–16 season, however, he was unable to secure a contract offer. Though he remained property of the Jets, the Flames acquired him on loan for their AHL team, the Abbotsford Heat. Over a month later, he returned overseas to sign for the remainder of the season with Russian club, Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL on November 6, 2015. 56 overall pick for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL draft. [8] In 2020, Aliu revealed more details about his time with the Spitfires, including that he believed Downie had taken a particular interest in treating him abusively in this and previous incidents because of Aliu's different racial and ethnic background. Aliu was born in Okene, Nigeria, but grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine. He was placed in a checking role with Abbotsford rather than the scoring role he typically played and performed well enough that the Flames sent defenceman John Negrin to the Jets on January 30, 2012, in a trade to acquire Akim's NHL rights. [6] The fight and the reasons for it was international news and strained the relationship between Aliu and his teammates. Dumba, whose mother is Filipino, and a diverse group of pro athletes from the U.S. and Canada announced the formation of the Hockey Diversity Alliance. Akim Aliu (born on April 24, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing on the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. Early in the 2005–06 OHL season (his first in the league), he was involved in an incident with Steve Downie during practice after the latter player cross-checked him in the face, knocking out three teeth. Akim Aliu, a Nigerian-born hockey player, has revealed another racist episode in which a minor league equipment manager dressed in blackface at a team Halloween party in 2011. The incident stemmed primarily from Aliu's refusal to participate in a hazing ritual that would have forced him and the other rookies to stand naked in a cramped bus washroom. He was demoted to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL during the 2009-10 season. [11] He also missed time during the season after suffering a broken hand in a bar fight. He returned to junior for the 2008–09 season, but was traded back to Sudbury midway through the season, and recorded 42 points in 45 games split between the two teams. Photo: © CBC The team was fined $35,000. He made his NHL debut in 2012 with the Calgary Flames. He tells us that hockey “isn’t” for everyone, a mantra some of us have been chanting for quite some time, so I’m guessing many among the rabble wish he would just shut his squawk box and disappear like summer wages. Moe Mantha was given a 40-game ban from coaching by the league for the incidents and also suspended for one year as the team's general manager. [1], Arriving in Canada, Aliu spoke fluent Ukrainian[4] and Russian[5] but no English and had never played hockey. In a joint statement released Tuesday, Aliu and the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles said the two sides have had “candid discussions” over what happened and have agreed to work collaboratively to promote diversity … Akim Aliu, the No. Aliu, son of a Nigerian father and Ukrainian mother who emigrated to Toronto at age 7, refused to strip naked for a hazing ritual as a 16-year-old with his junior Windsor team. He was not offered a new contract by the Flames, and joined the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs on a tryout agreement.[23]. He was demoted to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL during the 2009-10 season. Aliu, who was born in Africa but raised in Ukraine and Canada, later played seven NHL games over two seasons with Calgary. Akim Aliu. [1] His first pair of skates were purchased at a garage sale and he began playing in a house league in the Toronto neighbourhood of Parkdale. [3] The family initially struggled while Tai studied to become a computer programmer. He was a second round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks (56th overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. VAUGHAN, Ontario (AP) — There was no breaking point or seminal moment that prompted Akim Aliu to post two tweets less than a minute apart that would rock the NHL in a matter of hours. The incident stemmed primarily from Akim's refusal to participate in a hazing ritual that would have forced him and the other rookies to stand naked in a cramped bus washroom. [12] He was placed in a checking role with Abbotsford rather than the scoring role he typically played, and performed well enough that the Flames sent defenceman John Negrin to the Jets on January 30, 2012, in a trade to acquire Aliu's NHL rights. Akim scored his first two NHL goals and was named the game's first star two days later in a 5–2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. On October 10, 2014, Akim signed with the Rochester Americans for the beginning of the 2014–15 season, after a successful training camp tryout. By Bruce Arthur Sports Columnist. Following the game, he admitted that his travails in the previous three years helped him mature as a player and change his life and career for the better. Aliu played under Peters during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. Akim Aliu A Nigerian-born hockey player has accepted the apology of a minor league equipment manager who wore blackface to the team's Halloween party in 2011. He grew up in Ukraine before the family moved to Canada when he was seven. Bigotry has been a constant presence in Aliu’s life. [27], On June 8, 2020, Aliu co-founded the Hockey Diversity Alliance, alongside Evander Kane, to address intolerance and racism in hockey. [12] Following the game, Aliu admitted that his travails in the previous three years helped him mature as a player and change his life and career for the better. He still speaks Ukrainian to his family. Courtesy of Akim Aliu. Last week a photo surfaced that showed a Colorado Eagles staff member dressed as Akim Aliu in blackface at a team party in 2011. Aliu was born in Nigeria to a Nigerian father and Ukrainian mother. In addition to his two games with Rockford at the end of the 2007–08 campaign, he joined Rockford for five games at the end of 2008–09, scoring two goals, before joining the team full-time in the 2009–10 AHL season. Though he remained property of the Jets, the Flames acquired him on loan for their AHL team, the Abbotsford Heat. “I grew up seeing my mom being the only white lady in the village in Africa where I was born and where my dad is from,” he says. He played 10 games in Colorado and was later loaned to Austrian Hockey League club EC Red Bull Salzburg for a December tournament, but entered the Christmas break without a team to play for. 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