Girls Take Over Big Ice at Prudential Center | FEATURE

This article originally posted on Oct. 20, 2025.

On October 19, the main ice at Prudential Center transformed into a celebration of the future of hockey: a rink filled with young girls lacing up skates — some for the very first time — and taking their first strides toward a lifelong love of the game.

World Girls Hockey Day, part of the IIHF’s annual initiative to grow girls’ participation in hockey across the globe, found a vibrant and joyful home in Newark thanks to a collaborative effort from the New Jersey Devils, USA Hockey, and the Jersey Girls Hockey Club. With a jam-packed itinerary of clinics, scrimmages, and “Try Hockey For Free” programming, the event marked a full-circle moment for both hockey veterans and young players just getting started.

From First Strides to First Dreams

Casey Kilduff Weir, the Devils’ Manager of Youth Hockey & Growth Initiatives, was at the heart of it all — coordinating a day that included an 8U Jamboree in the morning, a Learn to Play clinic, and multiple sessions for girls at different skill levels from 'Try Hockey for Free' for those who have never played the game before to 10U and 12U travel teams.

“Today, we are celebrating World Girls Hockey Weekend with the IIHF, USA Hockey, the Jersey Girls Hockey Club, and the New Jersey Devils,” Kilduff Weir began.

“Just to see their faces light up when they walk up and they see the arena and they see the lights is really special,” Kilduff Weir added. “The game has grown exponentially, especially in the state of New Jersey over the past 10, 15 years. So to see girls so interested that they’re willing to just show up to an event that they heard about from maybe their family or their friends and come skate on NHL ice for the first time… you’re not gonna get better ice than this.”

Leading by Example

The day’s Learn to Play clinic included special guests. Not just NHL talent like Devils goaltender Jake Allen, but also standout women leaders across the sport: MSG Networks’ Rachel Herzog and former D1 player Reagan Rust among others.

“It’s always great when our players are invested in our growing the game objectives, and girls hockey is a really important thing for the Devils,” said Kilduff Weir. “Having Jake be here to be with his daughters and spend some time on the ice with them, and also our other Jersey Girls that are here is amazing.”

Allen, a veteran goaltender and proud father of three daughters — two of whom participate in the Jersey Girls Hockey Club — joined the girls on the ice during the Learn to Play session. For him, it was about more than just family time.

“I think it’s just a way to give back,” Allen said. “We’re always talking about growing the game. And obviously we see what the women’s game is doing right now in the world, and especially North America. And it starts here. It starts at these programs and these levels that generate interest and passion, and the Devils have put on a great program here to get girls involved.”

Seeing his own kids participate alongside dozens of others added another layer of pride.

“They’ve really enjoyed their first three or four sessions. They’ve asked to come back,” Allen said. “They’ve been made to feel welcome, feel comfortable, and it’s a great thing that they have going.”

And beyond the rink, Allen reflected on the life lessons hockey can teach.

“It’s really not about the game. It’s sort of what the game’s done for me as a kid, as a person — what it teaches you, the friendships you make, the values that you instill in yourself,” he said. “Ultimately if you can get to a high level and play, that’s a bonus. But the reality is, that’s what hockey’s about and that’s why I think it makes the sport so great.”

Devils Senior Director of Youth Hockey and Fan Development Kevin Fox added that the League and its players association have also contributed in a big way to helping the Devils put on the program.

"NHL and NHLPA support for Jersey Girls Hockey Club has been vital," said Fox. "They are the main reason why we’re able to put on such amazing events and girls programming like this along with our Devils leadership team."

Representation and Role Models

The event’s emphasis wasn’t solely on teaching girls how to skate or stickhandle. It was about visibility, representation, and the belief that hockey can be a lifelong journey, on or off the ice.

“We have some really awesome women who are here, too,” said Kilduff Weir. “Reagan Rust, Taylor Wenczkowski from Princeton University, Rachel, who works for MSG — and they’re all former Division I college hockey players. They all have a ton of hockey experience. And I’m a firm believer: if you see it, you can be it.”

Rust, one of the day’s most visible figures on the ice and a known voice in women’s hockey, took part in every drill and smiled alongside the young players at each station.

“We had about, I think, five different stations, over 40 girls. And we got to play some games with them,” said Rust. “Honestly, its just really fun being with them. They have so much enthusiasm for life and for playing hockey. Just the little things that come out of their mouths and the questions that they ask just crack me up. So it’s honestly a lot of joy to be out here with them.”

And when she looked around the arena, Rust saw something she never had growing up — a future girls could actually envision.

“I think this is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. Like one day, these kids could actually be playing here,” she said. “And that’s not something that I was able to dream about when I was a kid. But now with the PWHL, they have so many opportunities to play after college… there’s so many opportunities now where they can just play all women’s leagues.”

Hockey For Life

Perhaps the most powerful message of the day was this: hockey doesn’t end after your playing days. It can become a career, a passion, a community. That message wasn’t lost on Kilduff Weir or the guests who came from all corners of the sport.

“There’s a lot of different pathways for these girls to stay involved in hockey their entire lives,” Kilduff Weir said. “It’s not just playing, right? A lot of our women that we have here played professional hockey, but it wasn’t the end all, be all for them. They’re working in hockey now, and they’re able to make a great living from it and stay involved in a sport that they’re super passionate about.”

For the young players who skated under the lights at Prudential Center, the message was clear: this game is for you — and you belong here.