Back in November, Pass the Torch Day celebrated 100 years of Boston Bruins hockey while highlighting the inclusiveness and diversity within non-traditional hockey communities that will surround the next century of hockey.
“The theory of the event was the last 100 years have passed of Bruins hockey, now we are passing the torch onto the next generation, so that next 100 years,” said Ray LeBlanc, USA Hockey’s Massachusetts disabled section representative.
The disabled hockey event was held Nov. 23 at Ulin Rink in Milton, Massachusetts.
The regional event incorporated sled hockey, blind hockey and the Massachusetts Warriors. The blind hockey team played against the Warriors, who wore blurred-vision goggles to simulate how blind hockey players experience the game.
A young lady from the Boston ICE Storm organization and sled hockey program opened the day by singing the national anthem before she played in the event with her sister. They played full, three-period games in front of a crowd at the arena, according to LeBlanc.
About 16-20 sled hockey players participated, enough for two teams to play games on the full length of the ice. There was a similar number of participants for the blind hockey players and the Warriors.
One of the blind hockey teams that participated was the Hartford Braillers — “the coolest name in the world,” LeBlanc said. A nod to the Hartford Whalers, their logo was the old Whalers logo, but in braille. The Braillers also brought a huge contingent of fans with them.
The cross-hockey youth tournament (ages 10-13) at Northeastern University on Nov. 30 included 10 teams, with four players on each team including some from SCORE Boston Hockey, an inner-city youth hockey program in Boston. The fourth player on the team was from the disabled hockey section. Players rotated so they could meet new people, LeBlanc said. The deaf community, special division and standing/amputee were all represented and part of this cross-hockey tournament.
“It was really special where a lot of those kids had never played with each other before,” LeBlanc said. “So, it was nice. Everybody had a good time.”
LeBlanc, who helped organize the event, said he was appreciative of the way Mass Hockey involved disabled hockey in the Pass the Torch event from the beginning. There was a lot of understanding and accommodation for the disabled hockey disciplines to help make them part of the events.
“It was a lot of collaboration between all the parties and that everybody was comfortable,” LeBlanc said. “And I love the word ‘adaptive.’ I really do, because it’s no different than other, the other sports, other people where we have to adapt all the time for people’s learning techniques or strategies.
“It was awesome for us to be included, because sometimes it’s a lot harder for us to be involved. And they were willing to work harder to let us be part of it. Because they knew it was very important.”
It was good for the cross-hockey players — whether in a disabled discipline or not — to see that they’re all hockey players, LeBlanc added.
The players were also treated to a suite at the Boston Garden for the Dec. 1 Bruins game, when Boston defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3.
With the age range mostly targeted to 10-to-12-year-olds for the hockey tournament, there were a couple of kids just outside that age group. One 8-year-old girl who participated had never been to the Boston Garden before. LeBlanc walked into the arena with her and her mother and enjoyed seeing the young girl’s reactions when she looked around the NHL rink.
“It was almost like the kid walking into the Willy Wonka chocolate factory,” LeBlanc said. “She was, ‘Wow, check this out. This is awesome.’ So, that was special. That was really special.”
Beyond the Pass the Torch Day, Mass Hockey has other things planned, too. The program is planning to bring back Mass Hockey Adapted Day after a successful inaugural event last year. All the disabled hockey disciplines were on a rink in one day, with back-to-back games showcasing sled, blind, special, amputee, deaf and Warrior hockey all under one roof.
Mass Hockey held the event in conjunction with some U14 state playdowns at a facility with three ice sheets, making for a built-in crowd to watch disabled hockey, too.
“The place was buzzing,” LeBlanc said. “Parents are like, ‘Yeah, I don’t care about watching my kids. Do you see over here, these kids on sleds are incredible? This is insane.’
This year’s event is scheduled for Feb. 23 at Lovell Arena in Rockland, Massachusetts. It will be expanded, with two sled teams playing two different times — a youth game and an adult game. They’ve also invited a Warrior team from Long Island to be part of the showcase against a Boston team.
The Adapted Showcase Series is also on the docket this year. Each month, they’ll try to highlight a different discipline at a different rink to help expose different disciplines to various parts of the state. This also goes back to one of hockey’s goals in growing the game, according to LeBlanc.
“We’re getting some great feedback from people in regard to, ‘Jeez, I didn’t know this ever existed before,’” LeBlanc said. “A lot of good awareness. Have had full support from everybody involved with Mass Hockey. So, it’s been a great thing as far as getting the word out. They’re making my job very easy.”
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.