Player in the Cup Final wants the NHL to retire a number.

One National Hockey League forward is using the platform of the Stanley Cup Final to lobby the NHL to retire one player's number.

In a recent interview with ESPN's Joe McDonald, Sharks forward Joel Ward told the veteran reporter that he belives the NHL should step up and retire number 22 to honor NHL pioneer Willie O'Ree.

O'ree was of course the NHL's first black player, a feat he accomplished when he joined the Boston Bruins, effectively paving the way for players of color in hockey, players like Ward himself.

"That's something to definitely talk about for sure. It would be great if they did," Ward said of retiring O'Ree's number. "Obviously that's something that would be a great discussion about. With the amount of respect Willie has around the league, it would definitely be something special if that did come up."

Ward changed his number when he joined the Sharks, and admitted to McDonald that he now wears 42 to honor another pioneer, MLB's Jackie Robinson, who paved the way for athletes of color in a major way when it comes to professional sport in North America. While O'Ree's career was far less spectacular than that of Robison, he is undoubtedly a pioneer, and continues to be an ambassador of the game even in the modern NHL, and Ward makes a strong case for O'Ree receiving the honor.

"I definitely think Willie should be recognized for sure," Ward said. "The league obviously does that with a task force, but I do think that Willie should definitely be a big part of the league for sure for what he did. It's a no-brainer. Without Willie, it would be tough for me to be sitting here today. I definitely think Willie should be a big part of this."

[pub]