Jr. Grads receive Hockey Day honour for helping homeless

The group of 13-year-olds was recognized for their efforts to help the community, winning a contest put on by the Senators that over 50 other local teams entered.

“It’s for sure the highlight of the season,” says coach Chris Kealey, whose team has 24 losses and one tie in league play, but has accomplished plenty off the ice. “It was right out of a movie.”

The Jr. Grads attended Ottawa’s open practice at the Bell Sensplex Jan. 29, and then got to skate with the NHL stars afterwards.

“The players – and the parents and coaches – were all just like little kids. It really was phenomenal,” Kealey recounts, noting the players received an unexpected gift – Sens jerseys with their own names and numbers on it. “To get to meet their idols, hang out with them and talk to them – they were really blown away by that.”

The next day, the players attended the Ottawa vs. Montreal game at Scotiabank Place and participated in the intermission relay race. Mark Devlin, who recently suffered a broken collarbone, got to drop the ceremonial opening face-off between Daniel Alfredsson and Tomas Plekanec.

“That was pretty amazing to stand at centre ice with the full house,” says Kealey, who accompanied his player onto the red carpet. “It was pretty cool.”

The Hockey Day festivities represented just one of many memorable off-ice events the Cumberland teens have experienced this season.

One initiative saw the boys serve food and pass out used clothing to disadvantaged or homeless people at a downtown church. A moment that really stuck out for Kealey was when a man asked if he could have an apple or an orange instead of the banana he received – because the banana would freeze in the winter weather.

“I think it wasn’t until later on that they realized the reason it would freeze is because he was sleeping outside,” Kealey says. “I think it made them appreciate what they have. In an era when hockey sticks cost $200, it put a lot of things in perspective for them.”

The Jr. Grads also stepped up to help the family of a boy on the Kanata Blazers who was diagnosed with cancer.

“Whether you’re an opponent or not, you share that love of hockey,” explains Kealey, whose players came up with $750 from Christmas money and allowances to help the family with their expenses. “We thought if there’s something we can do to help them in any way, that it was the right thing to do.”