The Hockey Diversity Alliance will see San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane and former NHL player Akim Aliu serve as co-heads.

The Executive Committee will include Detroit Red Wings Trevor Daley, Minnesota Wild’s Matt Dumba, Buffalo Sabres’ Wayne Simmonds and Philadelphia Flyers’ Chris Stewart.

Former NHL player Joel Ward completed the Executive Committee.

"Our mission is to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey," a joint statement read.

"We will strive to be a force for positive change not only within our game of hockey, but also within society.

"Although we will be independent of the NHL, we are hopeful that we will work productively with the league to accomplish these important changes.

"We believe in the importance of accountability in developing inclusivity and diversity for all involved in our sport, including fans and the league office."

The Hockey Diversity Alliance has pledged to promote diversity at all levels, through both community outreach and engagement with youth.

The organisation says that it will seek to educate the ice hockey community on racism issues effecting the sport, adding that it was confident it can help to inspire a new generation of ice hockey players.

The Hockey Diversity Alliance said it has partnered with a charitable sponsor and would be launching a charity division in the coming weeks to help achieve the organisation’s aims.

Development of the alliance had reportedly been underway since late 2019.

The launch comes amid a renewed focus on the Black Lives Matter movement, following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis.

Chauvin's charge has been upgraded from third to second-degree murder, while three other officers have been charged as accomplices.

Floyd’s death sparked protests in the United States, which later spread to other nations.