For many New York Islanders fans, Ethan Bear is still a fresh face come September. But long before he’s even laced them up for his first training camp on Long Island, the 28-year-old defenseman has been making an impact far beyond the rink.
This summer, Bear spent a day with the Penticton Indian Band in British Columbia, one of the seven communities of the Okanagan Nation, and the largest Indian Reserve in BC, sharing his story and his passion for the game with local youth. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in the Ochapowace Nation, Bear has always embraced his Indigenous heritage, even famously wearing his name in Cree syllabics on the back of his Edmonton Oilers jersey in 2020.