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New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce will compete alongside a number of other NHL stars in the Shoulder Check Showcase charity game on July 30 at Martire Family Arena on the campus of Sacred Heart University.
The event benefits the HT40 Foundation , an organization dedicated to mental health awareness and social connection.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DEVILS YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW: ITS FREE! The HT40 Foundation was established in memory of Hayden Thorsen, a 16-year-old hockey player who died by suicide in May 2022.
Following the tragedy, Haydens father, Rob Thorsen, made it his mission to spread the message of checking in on friends, family members and teammates who may be struggling.
It started out in my gym actually, Pesce said.
A young hockey player passed away unexpectedly due to mental health issues, and it really took a toll on the whole gym.
Ben Prentiss, whos my trainer, and his wife, Ashley, teamed up with Haydens parents and a group of individuals to start a charity game in his honor to support mental health and mental awareness.
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It started off small, but its crazy how much its grown over the past three or four years.
We used to play at a small little rink, and now were playing in a full-blown arena.
Were getting more and more NHL guys to come and play every year.
Its amazing to see the impact and the growth that this fun game has provided.
Pesce will be joined by Trevor Zegras, Cutter Gauthier, Matty Beniers, Will Smith, Pavel Dorofeyev and Chris Kreider among others.
Its all about putting hands on peoples shoulders.
Reaching out, checking in and making contact with one another, Thorsen said.
The shortest way to say it is, we might not always know who needs a hand, but we all have a hand to give.
This program is out there, encouraging people to check in on one another.
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