Rangers Learn to Play kids graduate, skate at Rink at Manhattan West

When the NHL and NHL Players' Association introduced the League-wide Learn to Play initiative in 2015 with the goal of inspiring more families to join the hockey community, it's moments like this that they had in mind.

On Feb. 20, Rob Knesaurek, NHL senior vice president of youth hockey and industry growth, looked on when 30 new graduates of the New York Rangers Learn to Play program skated at The Rink at Manhattan West outside of the NHL offices in New York City before a special graduation ceremony that commemorated the conclusion of their 10-week program. He was excited to see how Learn to Play continues to grow with no signs of slowing down.

"When we started this program nine years ago, there were only about six or seven clubs that had a Learn to Play," Knesaurek said. "So we're beyond excited that all 32 of our NHL clubs now have a version of Learn to Play and, more importantly, the ability to connect to their communities. Then to add our alumni makes it even more special."

RELATED: More info on Learn to Play program

The Learn to Play program, supported through the Industry Growth Fund that's celebrating its 10th anniversary, was developed in coordination with experts from USA Hockey and changes the way youth hockey is offered by providing first-time participants head-to-toe equipment and weekly sessions of age-appropriate, on-ice instruction led by NHL alumni in a fun, safe atmosphere.

More than 150,000 participants have skated through the program. The NHL and NHLPA established the IGF in 2013 to support NHL and club business initiatives and projects designed to promote long-term fan development, grow the game of hockey and provide educational resources.

"Learn To Play is a really low-cost, low-commitment entry into hockey," Knesaurek said. "It's about providing children and their families an on-ice hockey experience with clubs like the New York Rangers, including alumni conducting skills and drills all while having families watching and supporting these young athletes. It really is the entry into the broader hockey ecosystem."

The Rangers are one of the teams involved since the beginning, making access easier to kids who want to try the game. Through the partnership with the NHL and NHLPA, their LTP program has flourished across 65 locations throughout the tri-state area by helping introduce more than 25,000 kids hockey since 2016-17.

Retired NHL forward Brian Mullen, who played 11 seasons including four with the Rangers from 1987-91, was among the alumni coaching in the clinics. Mullen was born in Manhattan, a few blocks from where he was teaching kids the game.

"I didn't start ice skating until I was 11 or 12 years old, and I was playing roller hockey every day in the schoolyard across from my apartment," Mullen said. "So if I had something like this, I would've jumped to the ice a lot sooner than when I did.

"I think we started in 12 rinks that first year and now we're in over 60 and we're well over 25,000 kids this year, so the growth has been crazy. The girls' programs are getting bigger and bigger each year. And there doesn't seem to be any end in sight for just the Learn to Play program as a whole."

Rangers girls' hockey ambassador Megan Bozek, who played 10 years for the United States national team echoed those sentiments.

"Within the Learn to Play program, the girls' side has grown from 13 to 20 percent since 2016, so we're really trying to grow it for a low cost," Bozek said. "It's an inclusive sport. It's all about the experience getting your first helmet, getting your first pair of skates, holding your stick for the first time, traveling to the rink by car or subway or walking. We want to make it more inclusive and make it an environment where everyone is welcome."

Mullen, with Rangers alumni Adam Graves, Glenn Anderson and Stephane Matteau, are closely involved with Learn to Play. Their leadership has helped it expand into next step programs including a recreational house league, an all-girls LTP and a limited travel all girls hockey league.

"We kind of created one of our own next steps with the Rangers, which we call the rookie league," Mullen said. "It's a house league for the kids that have just graduated the Learn to Play programs and aren't ready for travel hockey. In rookie league, they skate twice a week, and play a game on the weekends. And so that was our answer to the next step."

On average, more than half of those who participate continue playing.

"One of the things we measure is retention and we're allowed to and able to follow kids and their progress in hockey," Knesaurek said. "We would say most of our programs because of an experience like this, we generally get a 50-60 percent conversion rate, which is unheard of. Usually in hockey, it's 20-30 percent, max, so we know that having this kind of gold standard experience, where we subsidize equipment, we reduce the cost of entry, we give a gold standard opportunity. It truly gets them to commit to the game."

Photos courtesy of NY Rangers/MSG Sports