Minnesota Diversified Hockey enables athletes to participate with other skaters with similar interests and abilities in the disciplines of: Blind Hockey, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Hockey, Special Hockey, Sled Hockey, and Warrior Hockey. Each of these programs incorporate elements that are unlike the typical sport of hockey, but at their core, they are designed to ensure hockey truly is for everybody.
The Wild will dedicate several elements of its game to various Diversified Hockey organizations that provide opportunities for as many people as possible to play hockey:
- Brady Hadfield, a 15-year-old blind hockey player from Annadale, Minn., will be the Flag Bearer. He will be skating out with his dad, Nick Hadfield
- Jimmy Trenary, a 16-year-old member of the Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey team from Bloomington, Minn., will perform the “Let’s Play Hockey!” call.
- Diversified Hockey players will take the ice during the first and second intermissions and will be selling game programs and receive a $1,500 Minnesota Wild grant to benefit their respective programs
- 1st intermission will be Blind Hockey
- 2nd intermission will be Special Hockey
- Fist Bump, Bench Buddies, and some Zamboni rides will also be filled by Diversified Players
- Proceeds from the “Split the Pot Raffle” will benefit the Edina Community Foundation for MN Sled Hockey.
The following groups will have information tables throughout the concourse:
- Minnesota Wild Deaf/Hard of Hearing Hockey
- Minnesota Wild Blind Hockey
- Minnesota Warriors Hockey
- Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey
- Minnesota Wild Special Hockey
- Gillette Children’s
- Hendrickson Foundation
The Minnesota Wild and the Minnesota Wild Foundation continue to support numerous programs and initiatives that help provide as many people as possible the opportunity to play hockey in a positive and inclusive environment. Some of the programs and initiatives the organization supports include: Hendrickson Foundation, Minnesota Wild Blind Hockey, Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey Association, Minnesota Wild Special Hockey, Minnesota Warriors Ice Hockey Program, and Minnesota Wild Deaf/Hard of Hearing Hockey.
