Spaulding Rehabilitation Offers 20 Children Free Sled Hockey Experience at Bruins Facility
Imagine that the first time you ever hit the ice, you do so beneath championship banners and retired numbers celebrating your favorite NHL team.
That’s what 20 children experienced Oct. 3 at Warrior Ice Arena, the Boston Bruins’ official practice facility. They were on hand for the Try Hockey for Free, presented by Discover, event hosted by Mass General Brigham’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Adaptive Sports Centers, with assistance from the Boston Bruins Foundation, Massachusetts Hockey, and Massachusetts Adaptive Hockey.
“It was phenomenal,” said Elizabeth Dahlen, Spaulding’s sled hockey program manager. “We're just really excited to see how many kids we had on the ice, and their first [experiences] in sled hockey, and see how we can continue to support them, and where they take this journey from there.
“The ultimate goal of those Try Sled Hockey for Free [events] is just to get kids out on the ice to have them start to learn the fundamentals and have it take place in a welcoming and supportive environment.”
The Bruins’ practice facility provided the ideal venue for the event.
“We're thankful for the support of the Boston Bruins Foundation,” Dahlen said. “What an incredible facility and rink that it is, and for so many kids, that they get to skate under the championship banners is a pretty special moment. I would say this is the most successful one that we've been able to offer.”
The event, part of USA Hockey’s national Try Hockey for Free Day, drew new skaters from ages 4 to 15.
“It's the unique part of sled hockey that we serve all ages, all abilities,” Dahlen said. “We're able to tweak what we're doing on the ice to set up each athlete for success.”
According to Dahlen, Spaulding provided all the equipment and coaching and hosted an information table to promote all the adaptive sports that the organization offers to youth athletes in the Massachusetts area.
“We offer upwards of 50 different adaptive sports,” Dahlen said. “We're really committed to increasing access to adaptive sports and helping youth athletes discover the physical, social and emotional benefits of recreation and competition.”
This day was all about introducing boys and girls to sled hockey. It was held in conjunction with the first practice of the season for the Spaulding Sledgehogs.
“We've had a few [children] that have got introduced to it at one of our previous Try Sled Hockey for Free events and have really stuck with it,” Dahlen said. “That's a really exciting thing to see the growth and progression from the first one that we offered in 2025 to now the one that we did yesterday.
“The ultimate goal is to get them in a sled, get them to try it, learn about the program. We're excited to see how we can continue to grow this season as we go back to our home rink in Everett on Sundays for our weekly practices. We offer both our recreational-level play and our competitive-level play.”
Anyone can come to a Sledgehogs practice from October to May to try sled hockey by registering online.
Dahlen clarified that signing up doesn’t mean fully committing to the team right away. The program mostly wants to encourage anyone interested in sled hockey the opportunity to try it for the first time.
At Warrior Ice Arena, Dahlen and two of her staff members served as on-ice coaches. They brought a trailer full of equipment for skaters of all sizes and ages.
“We have all the protective equipment that we need from youth size to adults,” Dahlen said. “We have everything that a child would need. They just need to show up with a smile and an openness to hit the ice and try something new, and we're able to get them fit in a piece of equipment that's going to set them up for success. We can really find that great fit for someone. To set them up for success is really that ultimate goal.”
They got plenty of help from skaters who came up through Try Sled Hockey for Free.
“We have some of these athletes that are coming back and teaming up with a new skater and showing them the ropes when just a few seasons ago, it was them trying it for the first time,” Dahlen said. “That’s something that's been pretty impactful, to see the growth and progression of skaters that have gotten to see it and then are able to get back and help the next generation get started.”
To continue the momentum, Spaulding will offer another Try Sled Hockey for Free event in Salem, Massachusetts, on Nov. 8.
“It's exciting to be able to take our trailer and travel to some different [areas] to help expose just more athletes to our programming,” Dahlen said.
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
