Sutter Brothers' Youth Hockey Program Among NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. Winners

Several hockey organizations that boast NHL players among their alumni were acknowledged for their long-standing commitment to their members today as the National Hockey League awarded them NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grants. NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. was established in 1997 to Assist Skaters and Shooters In Succeeding Together by providing monies to youth hockey programs to be used towards the costs of equipment, ice time and travel to competitions.

While NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. ( grants were designed to offset costs related to the game of hockey, their impact on the programs goes beyond financial assistance. The grants provide a vehicle for coaches to continue teaching youngsters about the core values of ice hockey: camaraderie, discipline, dedication and sportsmanship. Since the program's inception, 89 youth hockey programs from around the globe have received a total of $700,000 USD in financial support, including organizations in such countries as China, Mongolia, Slovakia, Russia, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Romania, South Africa, the Ukraine sand New Zealand. The 2003 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant recipients include five hockey organizations with significant ties to the NHL.

Glacier Hockey Association - Whitefish, Montana, USA Founded in 1991, the Glacier Hockey Association counts 19-year NHL veteran and nearby Kalispell resident Murray Craven among its loyal volunteers. Located 463 miles from Billings and 376 miles from Calgary, Alberta, the Association rosters approximately 100 players from families across Montana's Flathead Valley. In an effort to grow the sport while keeping dues down, Glacier Hockey plans to subsidize its hockey development and scholarship programs with its $5,000 grant from the NHL.

SaHK Iskra Banska Bystrica - Banska Bystrica, Slovakia One of the oldest hockey organizations in the world, SaHK Iskra Banska Bystrica has produced some of Slovakia's best players, including five current NHL players. Among its graduates are Montreal Canadiens right wing Richard Zednik, Nashville Predators right wing Vladimir Orszagh, Philadelphia Flyers center Michal Handzus, Atlanta Thrashers defenseman Ivan Majesky and Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Tomas Surovy. Founded in 1922 and located 130 miles from the capital city of Bratislava, the organization currently offers more than 300 young players between the ages of five and 18 the opportunity to play one of the most popular sports in Eastern Europe. The $10,000 NHL A.S.S.IS.T grant will enable SaHK Iskra Banska Bystrica to purchase equipment for its beginner players. St-Ephrem's Minor Hockey Association - St. Ephrem, Quebec, Canada Graduates of St-Ephrem's Minor Hockey Association include former NHL player Eric Bertrand and current Minnesota Wild prospect Frederic Cloutier.

The 30-year old Association continues to thrive due, in large part, to volunteer efforts by the parents of its more than 200 members. St-Ephrem's Minor Hockey will offset rising ice time costs with its $5,000 grant from the NHL Schumacher Day Minor Hockey Association - Timmins, Ontario, Canada Since its inception more than 30 years ago, the Schumacher Day Minor Hockey Association has offered organized hockey to its young members at affordable rates. Several current and former NHL players have close ties to the mining and lumbering community, including Vancouver Canucks goaltender Dan Cloutier and Chicago Blackhawks forward Steve Sullivan. Schumacher Day Minor Hockey plans to cover rising ice time costs with its $10,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant. Viking Minor Hockey Association - Viking, Alberta, Canada Located 100 miles east of Edmonton, the Viking Minor Hockey Association and the small town of Viking has proud hockey ties to the NHL.

Among its graduates are New York Rangers president, head coach and general manager Glen Sather and all six hockey-playing Sutter brothers - Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich and Ron. Despite the town's rich history, rising utility costs have forced local facilities to increase ice rental fees. Viking Minor Hockey will allocate its $5,000 A.S.S.I.S.T grant from the NHL towards ice time in an effort to keep registration fees down. The remaining 2003 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T grant recipients are: Digby Area Minor Hockey Association - Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada Despite economic challenges, the Digby Area Minor Hockey Association has consistently offered organized hockey to the young members of its community for more than 47 years. As a result of the Association's successful efforts to grow the game, the number of girls in the program has doubled in the past two years. Digby Area Hockey will apply its $5,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant towards ice time in order to avoid increasing its registration costs.

Henniker Youth Hockey Association, Inc. - Henniker, New Hampshire, USA Since its inception in 1991, Henniker Youth Hockey has successfully balanced sportsmanship and teamwork for its more than 125 participants. The Association plans to use its $5,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. award to purchase additional ice time and equipment for scholarship players. This will allow the Association to keep registration costs at a minimum, giving more local children the opportunity to play. Indianapolis Junior Ice Hockey Association - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA During the 2002-03 season, in conjunction with the Indianapolis Ice of the Central Hockey League, the Indianapolis Junior Ice Hockey Association initiated a program for economically disadvantaged boys and girls.

The program successfully provided equipment and ice time for more than 40 youngsters. Indianapolis Junior Ice plans to allocate its $10,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant towards ice time and equipment as part of the expansion of the program. Lane Amateur Hockey Association - Eugene, Oregon, USA The Lane Amateur Hockey Association has struggled to offer organized hockey to its more than 80 participants since its inception in 1990. To relieve some of the financial burdens of registration fees for families, Lane Amateur plans to allocate its $5,000 NHL A.S.S.I.ST. award towards ice costs, equipment and a scholarship program for families affected by unemployment. Paralympic Sports Association - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Founded in 1965, the Paralympic Sports Association provides sports and recreation programs to men, women and children with physical disabilities. Despite the high costs of sleds, Paralympic Sports offers sledge hockey at a minimal or at no cost to its more than 40 participants.

The Association plans to direct its $5,000 grant from the NHL towards ice rental and travel costs, including visits to Calgary and Saskatchewan to play other sledge hockey programs. Pueblo Youth Hockey Association - Pueblo, Colorado, USA Due to the economic slowdown in the steel-manufacturing town of Pueblo, the Pueblo Youth Hockey Association reluctantly raised registration fees to offset a four-year 50% increase in ice fees at its local rink. The $10,000 grant from the NHL will subsidize Pueblo Youth Hockey's ice time and equipment needs in hopes of offering relief to struggling families. Rome Youth Hockey Association - Rome, New York, USA In its 30-year history, hundreds of graduates of the Rome Youth Hockey Association have gone on to play high school and college hockey.

Due in large part to its initiation program, the Association has experienced a 270% increase in the number of participants in the last six years. As part of its continuing efforts to make the game accessible, Rome Youth Hockey plans to allocate its $10,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant towards equipment and offset ice costs for first-time players and economically disadvantaged boys and girls.

Santa Fe Trailrunners - Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA Founded in 2000, Santa Fe Trailrunners offers recreational hockey to boys and girls throughout the greater Santa Fe area. An affiliate member of NHL Diversity, the Trailrunners will apply its $10,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant towards ice costs, scholarships and hockey equipment for beginners and advanced players in need. Windom Area Youth Hockey Association - Windom, Minnesota, USA The Windom Area Youth Hockey Association credits its volunteers for the organization's success. For the past 33 years, the Association has made the game accessible to all interested members of its community through creative fundraising efforts. Due to the recent migration of hundreds of beef workers into the Windom community from Iowa, the Association plans to apply its $5,000 NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. grant towards scholarships and equipment as part of a new hockey initiation program.

The NHL is made up of players from strong hockey communities and one of the best ways we can acknowledge the dedication of its many volunteers, coaches and participants is through monetary support, said Bernadette Mansur, Group Vice President, Communications, NHL. The NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. program gives us the opportunity to repay the hockey organizations that have been instrumental and developing hockey fans and NHL players. NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. recipients were selected by a seven-person committee that awarded grants based on a program's needs and its players' community service.

Special consideration was given to organizations that welcome the participation of girls, the economically disadvantaged and the physically challenged. Members of the NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. Committee include Jeff Beukeboom, four-time NHL Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers, and Claude Vilgrain, former NHL player with the Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers. Also on the committee are Bernadette Mansur, Group Vice President, Communications, NHL; Johnny Misley, Vice President of Hockey Operations, Hockey Canada; Bob Naegele III, Chairman, Athletica; Rae Briggle, Director, Member Services, USA Hockey; and Dave Fitzpatrick, Assistant General Secretary & Sport Director, International Ice Hockey Federation.

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Sutter Brothers' Youth Hockey Program Among NHL A.S.S.I.S.T. Winners