Beyond her statistics, James was a pioneer who shattered racial and gender barriers in a sport that was often unwelcoming. She began playing in boys' leagues at age eight, only for the league to later ban girls because she was overshadowing her male peers.

Today, her legacy is immortalized through the , awarded annually to the top scorer in professional Canadian women's hockey, and the Angela James Arena in her hometown of Flemingdon Park, Toronto. She remains active in the sport as a Senior Sports Coordinator at Seneca College and as a certified Level IV referee.

James's contributions have been recognized by nearly every major sporting body in Canada: IIHF Hall of Fame Canada's Sports Hall of Fame Hockey Hall of Fame Order of Hockey in Canada Officer of the Order of Canada Impact and Legacy