When Cole Koepke looked around the room, it was pretty easy for him to start pairing off his Winnipeg Jets teammates with the guests they’ve brought on the road this week for the annual Mentors Trip.
“You can see who everyone looks like. (Josh Morrissey) and (Kyle Connor)’s brothers, they all have the same mannerisms,” he laughed. “They look just like each other. Getting the dads together, you can see the similarities and mannerisms. Hearing the funny stories they have to say about their kids are always fun to hear.”
The focus on the ice during the two-game road trip through Dallas and Chicago will be about continuing a four-game win streak, but off the ice it’s about saying thank you to people who have played a role in each member of the team making it to the National Hockey League.
“Through different scenarios you lean on people, and it’s nice that we can reward them back,” said head coach Scott Arniel. “It’s interesting that some guys that have come from other teams haven’t been on trips yet. It’s a great experience for them and I’m sure they’ll be talking about it for the rest of the year.”
While there are some returning faces from previous years, both Koepke and Brayden Yager’s guests are experiencing a trip like this for the first time.
The 28-year-old Koepke brought his dad, James. It’s the first time that James has been able to come on a trip like this through his son’s career, which has hit 180 games with stops in Tampa Bay and Boston before Winnipeg.
“It’s been a lot of fun so far,” said Koepke. “It’s been a lot of fun getting to know everyone else’s dads and last night we had a nice dinner with everyone. Getting to know everyone is a lot of fun and a special moment.”
The trip began with a welcome dinner in Dallas the night before the game against the Stars and will also include a tour of Wrigley Field on Friday after the team’s practice. To commemorate the trip, the whole group took a photo together in white Heritage Classic jerseys at American Airlines Center ahead of the morning skate.
Yager said the experience has already been an eye-opening experience for his dad, Cam.
“The travel is pretty cool for him,” Yager said. “Obviously it’s a cool plane with the snacks, the food, and the menu. I think we were all pretty shocked at the dinner last night. There was tons of food and it just kept coming. It was awesome and he really enjoyed it.”
Even with so much on the agenda, all the memories come back to the game of hockey. The mentors will be in the visiting arenas cheering on their sons, brothers, and friends, supporting them through every minute of the game.
Just like they have their whole lives.
“It’s really cool for him to see the routine, everything behind the scenes. He’s meant a lot to my career,” Yager said of his dad. “It’s awesome to have him here.”
