As an ambassador for the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative, I was in Atlanta on Tuesday, Feb. 24 to host local programs aimed at promoting hockey to children of all backgrounds. I kicked off the day’s events with a school visit and hockey development clinic at BEST Academy from 9:30-11:30a.m. I then made an appearance at the Whitehead Boys & Girls Club to visit kids participating in the Thrashers Street Dashers program from 3:30- 4:30p.m., to speak to the participants and play a scrimmage hockey game.

Following those events, children from BEST Academy, Whitehead Boys & Girls Club, Special Olympics, North Metro Miracle League, LaAmistad & Safehouse Outreach came out for the exclusive opportunity to play floor hockey with me at Thrasherville, located inside the CNN Center from 5-6:30p.m. The “Hockey is for Everyone” day concluded as Ihosted the groups at the Thrashers vs. the Colorado Avalanche game that night. During the game that evening, I visited the Special Olympic athletes, who were performing during the first intermission. 

The day’s activities were a part of the NHL’s annual “Hockey is for Everyone” month, a league-wide initiative aimed at promoting the diversity of hockey with the goal of raising awareness and celebrating the growth of the game. To date, “Hockey is for Everyone” has exposed close to 45,000 boys and girls to unique hockey experiences