The 22 year-old defenseman is the first person from Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba to make it to the NHL, and as soon as he stepped onto the ice for warmups, his mother Helga began to cry.
"I'm just really happy to get a chance to play in the NHL," Keeper said. "Obviously my family is really proud of me and my community back home and other aboriginal people. But I'm just really excited to play. I have no words to explain how I feel. I'm really happy."
Keeper had a bunch of family members who made the trip from Cross Lake, Manitoba, a community of 8,000 people located eight hours north of Winnipeg. Among his family in attendance with his mom was his dad Anthony, and his girlfriend Shaylyn Constant with their two children.