Jarret Stoll on Humboldt Broncos Tragedy, Raising Funds for Victims

The Humboldt Broncos bus crash last Friday in Saskatchewan resonated for former LA Kings forward Jarret Stoll.
The two-time Stanley Cup winner - who is from Yorkton, Saskatchewan - helped raise money for a comfort fund for a wing in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, where team members are being treated, through charity donations from his golf tournament.
He also played in the area as a youth and has a deep understanding of hockey in Saskatchewan and its importance in the community.
On April 6, the Humboldt team bus collided with a tractor-trailer while on its way to a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League game in Nipawin. Sixteen people have died as result of the incident.

"I'm from Yorkton Saskatchewan. They're in the same league as the Humboldt Broncos so I grew up watching and cheering for my hometown team in Yorkton and obviously watching Humboldt when they came to Yorkton," said Stoll, who is currently working with the Kings' Player Development team.
"I know that league well and I know those towns well. I played minor hockey in Humboldt. I played minor hockey in Nipawin and those roads we drove hundreds of times in the winter and when you put yourself in that situation and then you put yourself in those boys' situations, what happened, it hits home because of that and you get emotional because of what happened and how much of a tragedy this has become."
The crash has sparked support from the hockey community with charitable donations and gestures of solidarity.
The
official Go Fund Me has raised over $11 million and it still accepting donations
.
Stoll is one of the people in hockey who felt a strong connection to the situation.

Stoll said he heard about the crash from his sister, and since then the news has been difficult for him to shake.
He has been in touch with the hospital about trying to figure out ways he can help. Stoll added that he was incredibly grateful for the Kings' donation to help Humboldt based on the proceeds from their 50/50 raffle last Saturday. The total jackpot was $48,490.00.
"It's definitely a nice gesture and something I think a lot of teams did and I'm glad the Kings did something like that," he said.
Stoll said there will be a way for fans in Los Angeles to send letters of encouragement to Humboldt before Game 3 at Fan Fest and said there will be a care package sent as well.
"Hopefully it'll cheer them up a little bit if it can put a smile on their face a little bit and their families that are in the hospital there in Saskatoon," Stoll said.

Stoll noted that many NHL players have gone on long bus rides to games as youngsters, which is in part why the crash has made such an impression with those in the league.
"I just think a kid in Western Canada, or a kid in Saskatchewan, that's what we did growing up. That was our childhood, playing hockey. You have fond memories of playing hockey, but you also have fond memories of riding the bus with your teammates and going on road-trips obviously on a bus," Stoll said.
"It's close quarters - you're playing cards, you're watching movies, you're laughing, you're telling stories, guys are sleeping. You're just hanging out and you're a team with your brothers and that's how you get close, and that's what I remember about playing minor hockey is so many miles on the bus across the prairies and across Western Canada. I think it just puts us all back into that situation because we've all been in that situation riding the bus."
Though the hockey community's response can't erase the pain of what the families and friends who lost loved ones are going through, it has certainly been encouraging and yet another example of the support throughout the sport when tragedy strikes.
"The hockey world itself is such a cool world and a small world," Stoll said. "We all care about each other so much that when something like this happens and we know somebody needs support, we know a family needs support, or a victim needs support, we're going to be there for them."