William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles Shamar Moses, a forward for North Bay of the Ontario Hockey League who is No. 104 on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of North American skaters for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles June 27-28.
Shamar Moses is looking to become Scarborough’s Next One.
The 18-year-old left wing for North Bay of the Ontario Hockey League was born and raised in the Toronto community that has produced Black NHL players for decades, from Mike Marson, Kevin Weekes, Anson Carter, Anthony and Chris Stewart to Wayne Simmonds, Joel Ward and Devante Smith-Pelly.
“To be from there and have people to look up to like Anthony and Wayne and all these guys, it’s pretty cool to see,” Moses said. “It’s a pretty big honor being able to be someone to come from there, and I hope to inspire the next generation.”
Moses is No. 104 on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of International Skaters for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles June 27-28. The first round will be held June 27 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), with rounds 2-7 on June 28 (Noon ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1).
The power forward had 48 points (12 goals, 36 assists) in 66 games for North Bay, second on the team in assists and third in points, after he was acquired in a trade with Barrie five games into the 2024-25 OHL season.
“He’s someone with a tremendous skillset,” North Bay coach and assistant general manager Ryan Oulahen said. “Somebody that can drive offense, create things around him, make teammates around him better, one of the focal points to our power play all season long. A lot of those little things kind of add into him having success and, I think, just starting to realize the potential and the high ceiling he has as well.
“The big body presence (6-1, 200), the frame, the muscle and then you add in the elite skill set that he has. The things he can do with the puck, the brain, the hockey sense and the way he’s capable of playing any different style. … All those things add into what could be a really scary presence, certainly in our league, and then moving forward to his professional career.”
Moses said he’s managing a mix of excitement and nerves heading into the draft.
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