While Sharks center Jasper Weatherby is prepping for the upcoming 2022-23 NHL season, he's also keeping an eye on something more important: how the league can be more inclusive and diverse.
In an interview with NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil, Weatherby shared his thoughts on the NHL's efforts thus far.
"Yeah, I think there's always still work to be done," Weatherby told Brazil. "I think they're taking positive steps in the right direction, which is important for anyone who's trying to bring this more into the limelight."
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Weatherby added that if any discernible change were to occur, it starts with the men in and around the rink every night.
"I think it starts with us, players. Starts with coaches, starts with management, and how could we share our knowledge with the next generation so things can get even better," Weatherby concluded.
Weatherby's investment in making the NHL more inclusive makes sense, as his family has long taken a stand for diversity.
Weatherby's grandfather worked with Martin Luther King Jr. while his grandmother marched in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Additionally, the 24-year-old's mother protested apartheid, as the Grand Forks Herald reported in 2020.
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RELATED: Weatherby once attended Sharks' Stanley Cup Final game as fan
With Weatherby's comments about how a 'team environment' will help San Jose end their playoff drought along with his passion for social change, it looks like the Sharks are in good hands moving forward.