Luke Grahame making hockey more accessible through ‘Rink Dude’

For 8-year-old Luke Grahame, what started as a stray comment at the hockey rink has turned into an opportunity to help more kids lace up their skates.

Luke, from Denver, is no stranger to the sport of hockey.

His grandfather, Ron, played along with the great Gordie Howe back in the day and his dad, John, played eight seasons in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup in 2004.

Not to mention his grandmother, Charlotte, who worked for the Colorado Avalanche for 28 years and was with the team when they won the Cup in 1996 and again in 2001.

And now both of Luke's older brothers play hockey, which is where “Rink Dude” comes into play.

The organization, started by Luke and his mom, Niki, helps raise funds for people who might otherwise not get the opportunity to play hockey.

While at the rink watching his brothers play, Luke wanted nothing more than to be on the ice rather than sitting on the bench. One day, he told his mom, “I’m tired of just being a rink dude.”

The name stuck.

Luke started selling “Rink Dude” merchandise at the rink and sending the proceeds to Hockey Unlimited, an organization focused on creating opportunities for underprivileged and low-income youth to play hockey.

Last week alone, “Rink Dude” raised over $3,000 for the cause.

“We do think hockey is a family,” Niki told NHL.com. “People help each other. So, we were happy that Luke wanted to help out too, and now he’s not bored at the rink anymore.

“[Luke] has this new skip in his step at the rink,” she added.

This week, “Rink Dude” started a fundraiser specific for Veterans Day. They are raising funds for United Heroes League, a nonprofit that provides hockey equipment and experiences for military children.

Niki said Luke’s goal is to raise $5,000 and, as of Wednesday, they’re over halfway there.

You can donate to the cause here.

For Niki and Luke, this initiative is about the respect that the Grahame family has for the sport of hockey, and trying to make it as accessible as possible for everyone.

“We’re just really trying to teach our kids that they’re lucky to play,” Niki said. “We’ve always reminded our kids that some kids can’t play, even if they want to.”

She continued: “We believe in the importance of giving back and respecting the game of hockey.”

The Veterans Day fundraiser runs all week.