USA Hockey Sled Classic being hosted by Devils

The 11th USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL, is being held at Ice Vault Arena in Wayne, New Jersey, from Thursday to Sunday.

The four-day event, hosted by the New Jersey Devils for the first time, features more than 600 participants.
"We look forward to welcoming 27 incredible sled hockey teams throughout the United States and Canada to our great state of New Jersey," said Devils radio analyst and former NHL goalie Glenn "Chico" Resch, the team ambassador for the event. "This will be an exciting weekend that celebrates why the game of hockey is inclusive of everyone. The Devils are proud to pack the four-day event with special programming, on-ice competition and growing the game's initiatives."
Each of the 27 teams in the round-robin tournament is affiliated with one of 17 NHL teams, some of which have more than one entry.
"Sled hockey is the embodiment of perseverance," said Kim Davis, NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs. "The athletes in the sport today show the world what is possible. We at the League are committed to giving sled hockey the stage it deserves while finding innovative ways to improve the gameplay experience and give more children and adults the thrill of taking the ice in a sled."

The competition on the ice is broken down into five tiers based on the skill of the participants. The Tier 1 players are considered the best sled hockey players in the world and include U.S. national team veterans and Paralympic hopefuls.
Fans attending the games Saturday were able to see the Stanley Cup and other NHL trophies at Ice Vault Arena. The display includes the O'Connor Courage Trophy, which the NHL created in 2017 in honor of J.J. O'Connor, former USA Hockey disabled section chair and hockey player who was paralyzed as a result of a spinal cord injury sustained during a game in 1995. The trophy is awarded annually to the Tier 1 champion at the Sled Classic.
"The stories shared by the NHL and the individual clubs, and the opportunity for the general public to come into the rink to see the NHL trophies introduces the greater hockey community to sled hockey that they maybe wouldn't otherwise be introduced to," said Beth Mahr, USA Hockey manager of disabled hockey. "Hopefully some hockey fans will see sled hockey for the first time at the Sled Classic and continue to follow Team USA as they compete for their fourth straight gold medal at the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, China (March 4-13, 2022)."
The Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association and USA Hockey worked with Hockey in New Jersey on Saturday to establish a sled hockey program extension in Newark, New Jersey. John F. Kennedy School in Newark, a specialty school for students with disabilities, sent students to an on-ice clinic to try sled hockey with U.S. Paralympians, Devils alumni and other interested local youth and adults with disabilities.
"The partnership between USA Hockey and the NHL for this event allows for a really special experience for participants," Mahr said.
For the complete schedule of games, visit USA Hockey. All games are being streamed live on HockeyTV.com.