Ian Kennedy looks at NHL players and big names who attended the launch of the Alphabet Sports Collective, Madison Packer, national blind hockey and para hockey.

Growing the Game is Ian Kennedy’s weekly feature examining the global game, how social issues impact the sport, and how hockey’s important cultural shift continues to evolve.

Alphabet Sports Collective Launch Features Big Names in the Game

When the screen clicked on at the Alphabet Sports Collective, a new not-for-profit organization “focused on creating a safer environment for people of all sexual identities and expressions of gender in hockey,” many of the biggest names in the game were there to offer their support.

Ambassadors include NHLers Sam Reinhart, Morgan Rielly, James van Riemsdyk, Scott Laughton, Kaiden Guhle, Tyson Barrie and media members including Pierre LeBrun, Gord Miller and Tessa Bonhomme. 

Also in attendance at the event itself were other supporters, such as Toronto Maple Leafs forwards Ryan O’Reilly and Alex Kerfoot, Leafs’ staff members Manny Malhotra and Mark Fraser, and media members, including TSN’s Rick Westhead.

The organization, founded by Brock McGillis and Bayne Pettinger aims to achieve their mission of providing safe and inclusive spaces through education, community building and mobilization.

Madison Packer Stands Proud

With the raging debate surrounding hockey teams wearing Pride jerseys in warmups, the PHF’s Metropolitan Riveters went above and beyond. Not only did the Riveters wear the rainbow-designed jerseys in warmups, but they also wore them in a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Beauts.

Riveters captain Madison Packer, who scored in the win, made clear the stance of the Riveters when it comes to celebrating Pride on the ice.

“It’s really important that we do this, it’s really important… that all sports teams and sports leagues do it,” Packer said of wearing Pride jerseys.

“We have an obligation as athletes to use our platform for positivity and for good. there’s a lot of kids sitting at home right now questioning who they are as people. When we push back and we don’t put a jersey on because it means something to us personally, we do damage to those kids.”

National Blind Hockey Tournament Returns To Toronto

Canada’s National Blind Hockey Tournament is set to take place in Toronto at Mattamy Athletic Centre from March 24 to 26. A record 165 players in six divisions will compete in the event, including players of all ages and competitors from the USA and Europe.

“The National Tournament has always been the catalyst for growing the sport,” said Canadian Blind Hockey executive director Matt Morrow in an organization release. “When we founded this event in 2013, there were 45 players competing in one division. We had only one American, only two women and no children or youth. It’s truly incredible that at our ninth National Blind Hockey Tournament, we now have six different divisions providing opportunities for everyone to participate and compete at all levels.”

Team Canada will look to defend their title from last season, remaining undefeated against Team USA. On top of Canada facing the USA at the event, the Women’s Blind Hockey Showcase Game will also take place, aiming to build blind hockey on the women’s side.

Canada Falls To USA In Opening Game

The national men’s para ice hockey teams from Canada and the United States are competing in a three-game series that kicked off in Elmira, Ont., this week. In the opening game of the series, Team USA dominated, outshooting Canada 35-6 en route to a 1-0 overtime win.

​​USA’s Brody Roybal scored the overtime-winner 42 seconds into extra time. Canada’s Dominic Larocque was spectacular in net, turning aside 34 shots in the loss.

“It is always exciting to get a chance to play against the Americans, regardless of where we are playing,” Larocque said following the game. “For me personally, it has been over a year since my last game against them (in the gold medal game) in Beijing. You know you are going to face a lot of shots when you play the United States, and that keeps me focused on the game because I enjoy the challenge (the Americans) bring.”

Game 2 of the series will take place on March 17, while the final game will be played on March 18, both at the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira.

The series comes at a time when the discussion of how hockey views people with a disability in hockey. This week, a video surfaced of NCAA hockey player Carson Briere pushing a wheelchair down a flight of stairs.

In terms of funding for para ice hockey in Canada, the men’s para ice hockey team receives significantly less funding than their stand-up hockey counterparts. As well, Canada’s women’s para ice hockey team receives no funding from Hockey Canada.