Harris Hosts Youth Clinic With SCORE Boston, ‘Help Grow the Game’

BOSTON –– Jordan Harris skated over to center ice to greet his team for the day.

The Boston Bruins defenseman was not lacing up for an NHL practice on Saturday at Warrior Ice Arena. Instead, he hosted the first clinic of his Harris’ Huskies program, partnered with SCORE Boston.

​The Bruins have a long-standing partnership with SCORE Boston, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting youth who would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in hockey.

When Harris inked his one-year deal with the B’s in July, the Haverhill, Massachusetts native immediately wanted to give back to a community that has meant so much to him.

“This summer, as soon as he signed, he gave me a call out of the blue,” said Wendell Taylor, who is the president of SCORE Boston. “Quite frankly, this entire program was based upon Jordan’s initiative. He reached out to us directly as part of the NHL’s player inclusion program, and then applied for a grant so he could team with us to bring more opportunities to skate to underrepresented communities.”

Harris – who played NCAA hockey at Northeastern from 2018 to 2022 – was joined by three alums of the Huskies women's hockey program on Saturday, including his fiancée, Codie Cross, as well as Molly Griffin and Katie Cipra. The Boston Fleet’s Olivia Zafuto was also in attendance as a guest coach.

​“It’s different being on this side of it. When I was young, I was around professional hockey players, and it was the coolest thing ever for me,” Harris said. “However I can help the kids whether they’re inspired, whether they even remember a day like this. Just to see the smiles on their faces and working on stuff out there.”

In January 2025, SCORE was selected as the recipient of the grant under the NHL and National Hockey League Players’ Association Industry Growth Fund (IGF), with additional support from the Boston Bruins Foundation and Rapid7. It is used to expand and provide operational funding for SCORE Boston’s youth hockey program, and is awarded throughout the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.

Harris’ Huskies program is another example of SCORE and the Bruins teaming up to grow the sport. SCORE participates in various B’s events, including the annual TD Bank Mini 1-on-1 Tournament, Learn to Play clinics and the Willie O’Ree skills weekend.​

“For us, we really started out as a learn-to-play program. We skated once a week, the kids got an hour a week on the ice; you can’t make a hockey player with an hour a week. So watching SCORE go into a multi-day program, really teaching kids how to play – the connection with the Bruins has been everything,” Taylor said. “To see SCORE get as big as it’s gotten and see our players improve, and actually start playing and winning games, has been everything.”

Harris helped with drills and was there to have conversations with players of all levels and ages on Saturday. The 25-year-old blueliner is a new mentor for the group to look up to and create a supportive connection with.

“For kids to see players that maybe look like them or have similar backgrounds, I think that’s really important. I think we’re on the right path,” Harris said. “This is where home is, this is where I grew up, so it’s really cool to be a small part of that and help grow the game.”

Along with its relationship with the Bruins, SCORE has also worked closely with the Fleet in the PWHL. Zafuto has been part of a handful of youth hockey events throughout the season.

“It’s been a good day so far. Lots of goals, lots of laughs, lots of smiles – that’s all you can ask for,” Zafuto said. “I think just being able to see it. If you can’t see it, you don’t know anything about it – you can’t be it. So allowing them to see it and be here and have fun, I think that’s the biggest thing…Obviously, it’s always special to meet young girls who can dream of playing in our league someday. We’re really doing it for them. It’s a humbling moment and brings you a lot of gratitude.”

Saturday’s event provided a good perspective for Harris, who has been battling through some adversity this season. He suffered a fracture to his right ankle on Oct. 21 and underwent surgery soon after. Harris was on an LTI conditioning loan with Providence at the end of January before getting added to the B’s active roster on Feb. 2 ahead of the Olympic break.

Skating with the kids was a reminder of what the sport is all about, and Harris made sure they knew that as he closed out the morning.

“Just how proud and lucky I was to be out there and just have fun,” Harris said of his message to the group. “When you think about hockey, you think about the Bruins, you think about the Stanley Cup, you think about the Stadium Series game. With Northeastern, you think about the Beanpot. But it’s the little things that really stick with you. The relationships, the life lessons. It’s all that stuff that comes with playing hockey that really sticks with you for the rest of your life.”