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***eddiesnothere*** · 08-07-2024, 02:31 PM

80 seasons of SHL history is approaching faster than a player with an 18 rating in speed, so I consider it a good time to take a look at the history of the SHL through the lens of its players hailing from the African continent, their impact, and what they achieved.

Unlike my previous us writeup (covering this topic with Asia in mind), I’ll be going by nation in alphabetical order, due to the fact that most countries only have a handful of players to their name.

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■ ■ Burundi ■ ■

Our story begins with a common story: A young man born in a family visiting from Canada. Ben Klinkhammer went on to live in Canada, playing right wing for three solid seasons in the SMJHL from S25 to S29 with Detroit before playing one season with Hamilton, scoring a goal and an assist before moving on to greener pastures. It’s the only sniff of hockey Burundi has been connected to, and it was honor they couldn’t claim. It seems unlikely that hockey may bloom again.
Career Totals (SHL): 47 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 Points

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■ ■■ Central African Republic ■■ ■

The Central African Republic is a recent addition to the hockey world, and a limited showing in that time, thanks to their breakout star, defender Jean-François Bokassa. The imposing Bangui native vaulted up draft boards to become the 6th overall pick in the S72 SMJHL Draft to Anchorage, putting up impressive numbers and solid showings, including a Bronze Medal for his UCORCAL team in S74. A 2nd round pick of the Manhattan Rage, Bokassa never caught on to make his SHL debut, and retired after S75, still a productive overager. His solid impact could prove to be a flashpoint for future talent to come from the landlocked nation.

(Of note during my research, a player by the name of Desta Funga has been a known active participant in European leagues, but has refused to play in the SHL, leaving him ineligible. Born in Chesapeake, Virginia, Funga gets his nationality from his parents, both first-generation American-Central African citizens.)

Career Totals (SMJHL): 264 GP, 19 G, 90 A, 109 Points

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■■■ Democratic Republic of the Congo ■■■

S13 introduced the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the SHL with the aptly named Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged Jr. III. The massive beanpole of a hockey player (he only weighed 120 pounds) played 150 games for the Manhattan Rage, who drafted him 31st in the S13 SHL Draft. Though not totally productive, he was a character player in the earliest days of the league, paving the way for many to come after him.

Career Totals (SHL): 150 GP, 4 G, 12 A, 16 Points

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■■■ Republic of the Congo ■■■

Almost as soon as Wowbagger exited, the Congo’s Junior Etou entered the fold. A solid junior league player, Kelowna took a flyer on the young winger, and though a productive season was the result, Etou moved on before the season was even over. It would have been interesting to see how he could have filled out a career.

Career Totals (SMJHL): 40 GP, 4 G, 7 A, 11 Points

In S63, defender Duke MacDonald-Gagné came onto the scene as a solid producing defender for Anchorage. Imposing and stable, Duke played his way into a flyer pick for the Philadelphia Forge, but he never moved on, playing three seasons with the Armada before calling it a career. For both these players, the short tenure springs doubts for just how strong the national program is for creating long-term success at the SHL level.
Career Totals (SMJHL): 181 GP, 16 G, 37 A, 53 Points

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■■■ Djibouti ■■■

Welcome to the SHL, Africa, with the debut of Marc Kuystad, a solid depth forward who carved a very solid career out of tenures in West Kendall and a season in Edmonton. It’s a difficult ride for a player in the first few years of the SHL, and Marc was a trailblazer. His selection to the SHL in the 3rd round of the S7 SHL Draft was the opening of a door that many more athletes will pass through, and for that, it’s commendable that his effort lasted five hundred games.

Career Totals (SHL): 512 GP, 29 G, 34 A, 63 Points

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■■■ Egypt ■■■

From Cairo, Ramotep Tutankhamun became the first Egyptian-born player to make noise on a technicality, serving a critical two-way role with Montreal. Since then, it’s been an abnormal amount of quiet from a very intriguing nation for sports. I would say that’s due to change at some point.

Career Totals (SMJHL): 150 GP, 30 G, 30 A, 60 Points

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■■■ Eritrea ■■■

Born in Asmara, Meb Keflezighi had a short-but-impactful SHL career with Manhattan, putting the league on notice for his 182-hit rookie season. It was a wild ride for the player, who did his best to pull Manhattan for as far as he could, then spent one season cup-chasing before calling it a career, making this a common career for a trailblazer in the SHL

Career Totals (SHL): 399 GP, 37 G, 108 A, 145 Points

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■■■ Ghana ■■■

Ghana gifted us the career of Dustin Rose, who rose through the ranks as a solid goaltender. Undrafted in S16, he became the first African-born player to win a Challenge Cup, win an award (The Mike Honcho Award in S21), and as a goalie outright, 175 wins is impressive in any era. It’s a big step for the continent moving forward, and a sign of things ahead for this group.

Career Totals (SHL): 337 GS, 175 W, 125 L, .903 S%, 20 Shootouts

Soon after the FHM era ended, Kwame Dakari entered the scene, looking to be an offensive mover for the Carolina Kraken. He didn’t pick up his offense significantly, and made a mixed impression in the SHL, playing for New Orleans before going inactive, and playing for Manhattan for S60 before calling it a career. Since then, silence from the West African nation.

Career Totals (SHL): 182 GP, 18 G, 34 A, 52 Points

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■■■ Madagascar ■■■

The island nation off the coast got its big break with Danny Mete, a strong two-way defender who hit the ground running in Vancouver and internationally in the WJC, earning a silver medal with the British Isles. Drafted in the 3rd round to West Kendall, he became a key piece in two champions, a Challenge Cup in S41 and S43, and a gold medal with Great Britain. One of the highest-decorated African-born SHL players was critical in all four of his SHL seasons, even after leaving for New England.
Career Totals (SHL): 200 GP, 9 G, 34 A, 43 Points

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●■■ Namibia ■■●

Namibia is a recent addition to the SHL’s ranks with an active player, Binko Koivu. An adept two-way threat and a scoring juggernaut, Koivu switched positions from defense to forward midway through his tenure in Atlanta. Immediately a scoring threat, he scored 100 or more points three straight years with the Inferno, earning Koivu a Jeff Dar award. His most recent tenure saw him recover from a scoring dip with Minnesota, before returning to Atlanta in the upcoming S78 season.

Career Totals (SHL) (Current): 726 GP, 251 G, 488 A, 739 Points

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■■■ Nigeria ■■■

At last, we come to the Canada of the African SHL world. Nigeria has invested far more than any country in breaking through with their players. It’s been a heap of success, starting with their first player, S26’s Alfred Holiday. A solid defenseman over 5 seasons with St. Louis and Vancouver, Holiday landed on the SHL stage with a resounding thud. Playing a career total of 24 minutes of ice time over three whole seasons of SHL play with Edmonton. Not the kind of career someone wants to see for anyone, never mind a new nation.

Career Totals (SHL/SMJHL): 400 GP, 12 G, 78 A, 90 Points

Luck didn’t come easy for the next Nigerian-born player to come out of the woodwork. Izem Abioye showed serious promise as a two-way defensive presence for St. Louis, but a series of contract squabbles and a trade to Detroit ground his momentum to a halt, and an injury in that offseason ended his career.

Career Totals (SMJHL): 150 GP, 8 G, 30 A, 38 Points

Then, at last, a breakthrough. After a tryout stretch in North Bay, M'Baku Olubori looks really great as a winger with Regina. When he’s shifted to center, he blossoms into a great offensive threat. Off a flyer in the 5th round, Olubori scores 63 points in his rookie season, captures the Ryan Jesster, makes the Rookie-All-Star Team, and it’s all uphill from there. To date, no African-born SHL player has produced more than Olubori, and coming into S78, he remains one of the best players in the league, and a likely Hall-Of-Famer and Platoon number retiree.

Career Totals (SHL)(Current): 660 GP, 362 G, 454 A, 816 Points

Other Players To Note: Peter Lasma (S71)

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▲▲▲▲▲ Seychelles ▲▲▲▲▲

The tiny island nation found a way to recently break into the SHL recently with the debut of Stun Gun, a mobile goaltender who made waves with his solid tenure in the SMJHL in Anchorage. Selected to Los Angeles, he’s immediately made an impact as a backup for a championship contender, a burgeoning star in the making

Career Totals (SHL): 16 GS, 14 W, 2 L, .915 S%, 2 Shootouts

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▲▲▲ South Africa ▲▲▲

Simeon Mars III became the first South African SHL player when he debuted in S17 for Manhattan, going on to have a very impressive career for a defenseman. He won three Challenge Cups, with two separate teams (Winnipeg in S19, Hamilton in S24 and S25). In an era where scarce African players were making a large impact, his wins set the stage for the popularity of the sport in his nation and on the continent.

Career Totals (SHL): 490 GP, 17 G, 96 A, 113 Points

The first pick of the 2nd round of the S36 Draft, Casey Creller was a consummate competitor, and a born winner. Over his 15 active seasons of playing at the highest level, Casey walked away from it all with three Challenge Cups, five Gold Medals as a part of the era’s dominant Team Ireland squad, and seven other medals. If Mars III inspired with his consistent play, it was Creller at the forefront of the game making the game look so easy, making his teams better, it would serve the community of hockey in South Africa better than anyone.

Career Totals (SHL): 700 GP, 69 G, 198 A, 267 Points

Other Players To Note: Barry MacCockener (S36), Niklas Fuhrburg (S50)
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■■■ Uganda ■■■

Born in Kiwoko, James Kimanje came on the scene as a depth forward for Winnipeg, serving a 3rd line role until he was moved to Philadelpia. His best years came in the City of Brotherly Love, including a 48-point outing in S64. Though his career was short, he was Uganda’s first breakthrough SHL player, so I suppose you’ve got that going for you, James

Career Totals (SHL): 528 GP, 100 G, 154 A, 254 Points

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▲■■■ Zimbabwe ■■■▲

Our last player of note is Adidon Zuckerberg, a player who entered the SMJHL, playing a small role over 3 seasons for Vancouver and Detroit. Though not a solid contributor, it remains Zimbabwe’s last venture into high-level hockey talent.

Career Totals (SMJHL): 105 GP, 0 G, 13 A, 13 Points

Other Players To Note: Barry MacCockener (S36), Niklas Fuhrburg (S50)
REVIEW:

Countries With SHL Players: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ghana, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Uganda
Total Asian-born SHL Players: 14
Countries without SHL Players (or prospective SMJHL players): Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierre Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia

It’s been a long road for the SHL’s African contingent, from humble beginnings to hosting some of the best talent in the league, but with one exception, that talent isn’t young. There may be a day soon when there will be no African-born SHL players left, and that will be a sad day, given the growth of the game in Asia and South America.

(Word Count: 2097)

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