In March of 2021, Kai Uchacz was removed from the Seattle Thunderbirds after the organization discovered the racist comments he used toward Black teammate Mekai Sanders.
Uchacz made racist slurs toward Sanders, the lone Black player on the Thunderbirds, and a banana was waved in front of the player according to a report from the Seattle Times.
As hockey often does, however, Uchacz's racism is being overlooked in favour of his on-ice skill. The Red Deer Rebels of the WHL were the first to make this choice when they traded for Uchacz in exchange for a second-round pick. NHL Central Scouting was next, ranking Uchacz 95th among North American Skaters in their Midterm Rankings.