Rising Robo: Jason Robertson is the face of a new NHL gener-asian

I was an active child — I ran, swam, skied, played golf and even climbed. But as a Korean American athlete, I faced double the challenge — not only did I have to overcome the usual obstacles to success, I also had to navigate a sports culture that often didn’t include people who looked like me. It was like playing ice hockey and never getting the puck — I had to fight twice as hard to prove myself and make my mark.

According to an AP report, more than 90% of hockey players, coaches and officials are white. In an internal 2022 study, the National Hockey League reported that 83.6% of its workforce was white.

To the League’s credit, hockey has been a traditionally white, upper-class sport. Not to mention, the NHL spans the United States and Canada, meaning that diversity isn’t a single-solve issue. But no matter the effort the NHL puts in, or doesn’t, it’s systemic — and deep-rooted. The top players who come to mind are Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky. The younger faces? Connor McDavid, Cale Makar and Jack Hughes. 

And then there’s Robo.

Formally known as Jason Robertson, the starry-eyed Stars left winger hails from Arcadia. With silky mitts and speedy skates, Robo’s a true beauty — and a filthy surprise at that. He’s far from an ice dancer — in fact, his initial lack of skating skill caused him to drop to the second round of the 2017 draft. But after some time with the Texas Stars, Dallas’ minor league counterpart, Robo’s shooting to thrill and playing to kill. And he’s got the League starstruck.

In Dallas’ first 25 games last year, Robertson ripped 23 goals. From late October to early December, he set an NHL personal-best 18-game point streak, with 34 points, 21 goals and 13 assists. Scoring 30 points in just 37 games, Robo rewrote the stars. 

On April 1, the forward broke Mike Modano’s 1993 franchise record for most points scored in a single season. Two days later, Robo led the Stars to clinch a Stanley Cup playoff spot and became the first player in Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars history to surpass 100 points in a single season since Ciccarelli in 1987. 

The 23-year-old is coming in hot. In fact, word around the block is that he’s shortlisted for the Hart Trophy — an award given to the NHL’s MVP of the year. Besides actively rewriting history, his story is something to tell as well. He’s the second Filipino American to play in the NHL, following retired center Tim Stapleton. His baby brother, Nick, plays with the Toronto Maple Leafs up north. His heritage, combined with his skills and streak, have nominated him as a role model for many Asian American youth. And for good reason. 

As I’ve discussed in previous installments of my column, growing up, I didn’t see a lot of minority representation. As a skier, I looked up to athletes like Lindsey Vonn — not only because they’re great at what they do, but because there also wasn’t really anyone who looked like me on the slopes. Rather than looking in a mirror, I was looking through a glass.

Now, it’s a little different. Freestyle skiing double-gold Olympic medalist Eileen Gu is a Chinese American freshman at Stanford. Korean American Olympic snowboarder and back-to-back 1080 pioneer Chloe Kim is just 23 years old. Today’s athletes are not only catapulting to fame — they’re also using their platforms to empower others. Take Gu, for example, who competes for her mother’s home country of China to promote the participation of youth in snowsports. 

And back to Robo: the rising star of the Stars, who moved to Michigan for hockey, who never misses an optional skate. Who, according to his mother Mercedes, is fittingly one of the reasons why today’s Asian youth are starting to play hockey. 

Every day, my goal is to be the kind of person I would’ve looked up to when I was younger. Growing up peering through the looking glass, it’s heartwarming to turn the tables and write about the athletes of my generation who are stepping into those skates. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the difference between a bar down or slapshot. But, thanks to a friend, YouTube and copious amounts of free time during the coronavirus pandemic, I gave it a try. And to my surprise, I found a face on the roster that resembled mine. 

Robo’s rise and recognition indicates that times are changing for the better. A toast, to all the dreamers, darers and do-ers. Here’s to the face of a new NHL generation. 

Victoria Lee is a freshman writing about the AAPI experience in America. She is also the Wellness and Community Outreach Director at the Daily Trojan. Her column, “Your College Unnie,” runs every other Wednesday.