Carolina Hurricanes: Remembering the Players of Color
![24 Apr 2002: Goaltender Kevin Weekes #80 of the Carolina Hurricanes in goal against the New Jersey Devils during game five of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes won 3-2 in overtime. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones/Getty Images/NHLI 24 Apr 2002: Goaltender Kevin Weekes #80 of the Carolina Hurricanes in goal against the New Jersey Devils during game five of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes won 3-2 in overtime. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones/Getty Images/NHLI](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/f10fd62bbcdb079929a9a6d728295459881de706f356251e6a5290218ea2f12d.jpg)
Anthony Stewart
Anthony Stewart is the most recent player of color to have ever worn a Carolina Hurricanes Jersey and play for the NHL team. A first-round draft pick by the Florida Panthers at 25th overall in 2003, Stewart did not have a very long NHL Career.
After finally breaking into the NHL in 2006, he only played 10 games for the Panthers quickly finding the first and second goals of his career. The following season also saw him play 10 games as his initial contract was pushed. His third season saw his games played increased to 26. Both of these seasons saw him kept off the scoreboard.
It wasn’t until the 2008-2009 season that Stewart saw a healthy dose of playing time. But he still found himself as a healthy scratch often. The next season he left the Panthers for the Atlanta Thrashers who sent him to the Chicago Wolves for the full season. There he found his game once again earning himself another contract with the Thrashers.
The following season he played the full 80 game season with the Thrashers scoring 14 goals and 25 assists. However, when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg, they did not opt to give him a qualifying offer and he became a free agent.
That is when he found his way to the Carolina Hurricanes who signed him to a two-year contract. He only missed three games with the Carolina Hurricanes. He had 9 goals 11 assists and led the team with a +4 rating, but was still send on waivers. Luckily he cleared waivers and remained on the team.
During the lockout in the following season, Stewart played for Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL. Upon conclusion of the lockout, he was traded to the LA Kings who placed him on waivers and sent him down to the AHL Monarchs and he never got another NHL chance again.
He continued to play in Europe up until 2016. Today he is an NHL Analyst for Sportsnet 590 The FAN and runs Stewart Hockey camps with his younger brother Chris Stewart, who currently plays for the Philidelphia Flyers.