NHL Stars Take the Ice at Martire Family Arena for Shoulder Check Showcase

Charity hockey game raises awareness for mental health while honoring Hayden Thorsen

Key Highlights

• More than 25 current and former NHL players participated in the fourth annual Shoulder Check Showcase at Sacred Heart University's Martire Family Arena
• The charity hockey game supports mental health awareness and suicide prevention through the nonprofit Shoulder Check
• The event honors the memory of Hayden Thorsen, a 16-year-old Darien hockey player who died by suicide in 2022
• Shoulder Check encourages people to check in on friends, teammates and loved ones through simple acts of kindness and conversations about mental health

More than 25 NHL players, a red carpet, fan-favorite mascots, and hundreds of hockey fans filled Sacred Heart University's Martire Family Arena for the fourth annual Shoulder Check Showcase, a spirited exhibition that supports mental health awareness.

The Shoulder Check Showcase honors the memory of goaltender Hayden Thorsen, a 16-year-old from Darien, who died by suicide in May 2022. The nonprofit organization encourages simple acts of kindness—like placing a hand on someone's shoulder—to check in on others and start conversations about mental health.

Hundreds of hockey fans came to the arena to support the cause and watch a fun game packed with pros. The evening started with a red-carpet event; players posed for photos and met with fans. Gritty, the mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers was there alongside Big Red and Sonar from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Later in the evening, the players separated into two teams, Team Prentiss and Team Shattenkirk (named after the teams’ coaches) and participated in a two period, casual match up.

Shayne Gostisbehere of the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, Spencer Knight of the Chicago Blackhawks, Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier of the Anaheim Ducks, Pavel Dorofeyev, JT Miller, Matt Rempe, Adam Fox and Gabe Perreault of the New York Rangers were some of the players on Team Prentiss.

Trevor Zegras of the Philadelphia Flyers, Brett Pesce of the New Jersey Devils, Mason McTavish of the St. Louis Blues, and Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators were some of the players on Team Shattenkirk.

Former Sacred Heart men's ice hockey standout Felix Trudeau also returned to the Martire Family Arena during his first professional offseason after signing a two-year contract with the St. Louis Blues.