The Shoulder Check Showcase
is quickly becoming an event numerous NHL players circle on their summer calendars. This year's star-studded lineup put on a show Thursday at Terry Connors Rink in Stamford, Connecticut, and all for a great cause.
Players from around the League, including a number of current and former New York Rangers
, gathered in honor of Hayden Thorsen,
a goalie who took his life at 16 in 2022. The HT40 Foundation has a simple message: To be there for your friends and family. To be a teammate on and off the ice. "We may not all need a hand. But we all have a hand to give. Reach out. Check-in. Make contact."
Hayden's father, Rob Thorsen, who founded the Shoulder Check initiative along with the likes of NHL star Trevor
Zegras' dad, Gary, said he couldn't have dreamed the event and movement would take off the way it has. He gives the players all the credit.
"It was because we had such amazing support right from the start that it started at a level beyond what we could have hoped for from Day One," he said prior to puck drop. "And that's because, you know, that's (Ben) Prentiss and Ashley over at the gym and Gary Zegras and Trevor, Chris Kreider
, Kevin Shattenkirk
, and those guys from Day One. They were like, 'when you're ready to do something, we're going to do it with you."
The event started with a tailgate outside the rink. Most of the fans were on hand promptly at 4 p.m. (some were there even earlier) to await the players' arrival. Upon arriving, the players took time to talk, take pictures and sign autographs. Young kids, mostly in Rangers
gear, walked away with dozens of autographs on a day they're unlikely to forget.
As Rob Thorsen said, the players truly want to be there — to not only honor his family, but for the community.
Kreider has found a profound connection to this event and the Thorsen family.
"I think just seeing the hockey community rally around them, especially this area, just goes to show you how impactful they were on people's lives," said the longtime Rangers forward, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on June 12. "What they thought of Hayden and the whole family but especially, I think, the strength of the hockey community and how important this is to people.
"I think everyone has experienced some struggle with their own mental health," added Kreider, who spent a lot of time saying goodbye to fans who had watched him become the third-leading goal-scorer in Rangers history. "I know someone who has, so unfortunately that's a fact of life. I think it's a simple concept but an incredibly powerful concept, just checking in and making sure people in your life are OK and being able to have those conversations in communication."
Rangers forward Brett Berard revealed that he'd played most of the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, but took part in the showcase and said he'll be 100 percent for training camp.
He said being part of this event meant a lot to him.
"It's special having all these players from all teams, all different backgrounds," he said. "Everyone coming in for this event. It's super special. It's good to show that not being OK is OK, and everyone's got a support system for them. I think that's the biggest thing to kind of realize and recognize too. Even though we might be in the NHL and professionals at our level, we're still little people outside of the rink and even inside of the rink.
"So it's cool to kind of be here. See all the kids, connect with people and show that we're kind of all in this together. I know the hockey is a small role and everyone is a family."
Rangers forward Matt Rempe
is a fan favorite — he even scored a goal during the game. The 23-year-old said he understands Shoulder Check's importance.
When asked how important it is for athletes to feel comfortable reaching out and really sharing if they're struggling or noticing that a teammate is having problems, he replied, "You want to have a good environment. An environment that makes sure that everyone's all right.
"You talk to your buddies, you grow closer here, you build brothers for life, which makes it more special."
Frank Vatrano
, a teammate of Kreider's with the Rangers in 2022 who will be playing with him again in Anaheim, echoed those thoughts.
"I think that's what the NHL is — it's a huge brotherhood," he said. "The hockey community is very, very small. Regardless of if you played in the NHL or if you just even play the game, we're always looking to give back and kind of help people and kind of make things go. I think you can see that with this event."
Once the doors opened, Rangers anthem singer, John Brancy gives his usual stellar performance to kick things off. He followed that up with a rendition of "Lean On Me," the new Shoulder Check Anthem,
which got the whole crowd involved.
From there, former Rangers captain and current TV analyst Dave Maloney set the tone alongside Kreider and Zegras with the Shoulder Check symbol. Everyone puts their left hand on the shoulder of the person next to them, making a vow to make sure to reach out, check in, and make contact with anyone in their lives that can use it.
From there, the players put on an offseason clinic with Team Prentiss winning 11-5 over Team Martin St. Louis
; the current Montreal Canadiens
coach and former Rangers forward had Jonathan Quick
there as his assistant. At the end of the day, players and fans were all smiles to make the most of a tragic situation for the Thorsen family.
"It's huge, especially, something like this. I know guys, love representing it and what it's become. You know, from where it started with kind of all the Rangers guys, a couple years ago, now I've seen guys coming from a lot of teams and to do it for a cause like this, it's great. And I think it's only going to get bigger," Vatrano said.
Hockey fans who have the opportunity to go should add this event to their bucket list next year. It's become one of the highlights of the sport's offseason events, both for the hockey and the cause.
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