As the Minnesota Wild prepare to open their regular season later this week, the Wild Foundation is promoting its new "Skate it Forward" program.
The goal is to help first-time players get on the ice by making the first year of ice time free for every young player in Minnesota.
Blaine's own Matt Hendricks played in the NHL and is the General Manager of the Iowa Wild minor league team. He says he'll never forget how hockey shaped his childhood.
"I think back watching those state tournament games that, you know, there's one or two that we couldn't make it to," says Hendricks. "But we're in the basement at my parent's house playing knee hockey, pretending we're those players on the ice. "I think back at that tournament watching the teams from up north, Moorhead, and Cloquet, and teams that we've never seen before but we've heard all about."
The Wild Foundation is making a push for donations to its new "Skate it Forward" community hockey program, which can be made on their website here.
Hendricks says he's grateful to have grown up in a hockey household.
"But what was so awesome about it is, you're playing with your best friends," says Hendricks who also played at St. Cloud State. "You know, you have that sense of pride in your community, whether you're watching the older guys going up, or now it's your turn to wear the jersey and you get to see the young guys looking up to you."
Minnesota currently leads the nation in the number of hockey players at every level from mite to professional. There are more than 250 publicly owned indoor arenas and countless outdoor rinks providing affordable, local ice.
“Hockey in Minnesota is more than a sport, it’s community,” said Bryan Smolinsk, NHL Regional Director for Learn to Play. “The NHL and NHLPA, with help from the Industry Growth Fund, are happy to partner with the Wild in support of the Skate it Forward initiative and make hockey accessible to more players across The State of Hockey.”
Minnesota opens the regular season on Thursday at St. Louis.