USA Hockey Sled Classic begins Nov. 17 in Irvine as 12th annual event hosted by NHL’s Ducks
The 12th annual USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL, will be staged Nov. 17-20 at Great Park Ice & Five Point Arena in Irvine.
The four-day event, which features sled hockey teams associated with NHL clubs, will be hosted by the Anaheim Ducks.
The event is open to the public and free of charge, with an option to donate to local sled programs in the area at the door.
This year’s event will include teams representing 16 NHL clubs, including the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Seattle Kraken, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, and Washington Capitals. Each team will represent their associated NHL club by wearing official NHL licensed jerseys with local club marks and logos.
Among those competing are 13 players from the U.S. National Sled Team, including Travis Dodson (Nashville Predators), Robert Easley (Colorado Avalanche), David Eustace (Boston Bruins), Declan Farmer (Colorado Avalanche), Noah Grove (Boston Bruins), Malik Jones (Colorado Avalanche), Griffin LaMarre (Boston Bruins), Kevin McKee (Chicago Blackhawks), Joshua Misiewicz (Nashville Predators), Evan Nichols (Boston Bruins), Brody Roybal (Nashville Predators), Jack Wallace (Nashville Predators), and Joseph Woodke (Nashville Predators).
The U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team has nine players participating, including Sarah Bettencourt (Anaheim Ducks), Lera Doederlein (Anaheim Ducks), Cathrine Faherty (Boston Bruins), Rachel Grusse (Philadelphia Flyers), Kaden Herchenroether (Pittsburgh Penguins), Robynne Hill (Colorado Avalanche), Erica McKee (Chicago Blackhawks), Monica Quimby (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Gabby Wake (Philadelphia Flyers).
There are also 14 representatives from the U.S. Men’s Development Sled Hockey Team taking part, including Brandon Adam (Colorado Avalanche), Brett Bolton (Philadelphia Flyers), Brendan Cormier (Boston Bruins), Liam Cunningham (Minnesota Wild), John Curtin (Nashville Predators), Isaac Escobedo (Vegas Golden Knights), Kane Goodman (Boston Bruins), Jacob Jones (Chicago Blackhawks), Erik Knotts (Pittsburgh Penguins), Daniel Malloy (Boston Bruins), Tyler Shepersky (Boston Bruins), Taggart VanderMolen (Chicago Blackhawks), Nicholas Witkowski (Philadelphia Flyers), and Kyle Zych (Boston Bruins).
First staged in 2010, the inaugural Sled Classic featured four teams and 46 players. This year’s event features 23 teams (with certain NHL clubs fielding multiple squads) and 279 total skaters.
DUCKS TO CELEBRATE SLED HOCKEY IN LEAD-UP TO SLED CLASSIC
On Saturday, Nov. 12, Bettencourt, a member of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team and captain of the Ducks Sled Hockey Team, alongside former U.S. Men’s Development Sled Hockey Team member Aaron Loy, will drop the ceremonial first puck prior to the start of the Anaheim Ducks-Chicago Blackhawks game at Honda Center.
Then on Monday, Nov. 14, the San Diego Ducks Sled Hockey team will join the Anaheim Ducks for a joint practice at Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena in Irvine. The practice will begin at 10:30 a.m. as Bettencourt and her teammates will demonstrate the basics of sled hockey to Ducks players including John Gibson, Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.
(November 10, 2022)