How good was Willie O'Ree?

[Say Hey Kid]

Please educate and share your opinions with me. Has he ever been taken in an ATD or a MLD? Here's a link > http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRraEMRVm1oatct0hTxRKLYVEMEQ

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[Big Phil]

O'Ree was nothing special - on the ice that is. He played 45 career NHL games and had 4 goals. Of course this was in the original 6 days so I'm sure he had a decent skill set as a player if he even managed to make the NHL but his legacy is based on being the first black player in the NHL. Not that he didnt face some discrimination from opponents and fans but this wasnt quite like Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier. There were no Negro leagues in Hockey. O'Ree is best known for being the first black player, and that's unfortunately about it. Although a good side story is that he managed to play despite being blind in one eye, that is something not everyone knows

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

He was good enough to be a solid but unspectacular 3rd liner in a 6 team league. Which means he likely would have been a good 3rd liner, average 2nd liner in a 30 team league.

 

[MESSMAN11*]

O'Ree was nothing special - on the ice that is. He played 45 career NHL games and had 4 goals. Of course this was in the original 6 days so I'm sure he had a decent skill set as a player if he even managed to make the NHL but his legacy is based on being the first black player in the NHL. Not that he didnt face some discrimination from opponents and fans but this wasnt quite like Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier. There were no Negro leagues in Hockey. O'Ree is best known for being the first black player, and that's unfortunately about it. Although a good side story is that he managed to play despite being blind in one eye, that is something not everyone knows

"LOOK",
I am From O'Ree's hometown,and they named a rink after him here,"he was an amazing skater",but do to racial problems he was never given the chanse a white player would have had,he could have been a star if he was white.
Imagine if Iggy was not given a chanse to play,it's teriball how O'Ree had so much talent,and never had a chanse to sow it.

 

[benji]

I heard that he scored over 450 goals in pro hockey, of course only 4 were in the NHL (most were in the old WHL). Still to score 450 goals while making a living, you must have a pretty decent skill-set.

 

[Vector]

From what I've heard, read, and watched he had amazing straight away speed but not the greatest hands at the NHL level.

 

[feffan]

Revisiting for obvious reasons:
Never really looked in to O'Rees playing career, just knew his legacy as the first black player in the NHL (great Players Tribune if not read...). Was impressed that he still played a few years in the 70´s and faired quite good. When he played for the New Haven Nighthawks he as a 37 year scored 45 points in 50 GP. A team that had Garry Howatt and Bob Nystrom also see NHL time that season on them. Both scoring less PPG in the AHL.

Anyone saw him play for the Nighthawks or in the WHL? Should/could he have been in the NHL during the 60`s? Where did he rank as to say Guyle Fielder or Art Jones who where better WHL-players as points go? Where these players that would have made the NHL better in thoose days and players that instead choose to be the best of an inferior leauge instead of 2-3 line in a better?