LUMBY, British Columbia -- Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb could relate to the kids in Lumby, the small town in the interior of British Columbia that won Kraft Hockeyville 2016 in Canada.
McNabb, 25, is from Davidson, Saskatchewan, a small farming community of a little more than 1,000 people. So when McNabb joined Kings teammate Tanner Pearson on Saturday to talk and take questions from kids and parents in Lumby, a town of 1,731, his answers carried more weight because he made the NHL after starting out in such a small town.
"It's pretty cool to see how the town gets up for an event like this because I grew up in a town with 1,000 people and the community was basically just sports, so you grow up in the rink," said McNabb, who played in Davidson until pee wee before moving to a boarding school to play.
Kings players inspire kids at Kraft Hockeyville
Brayden McNabb, Tanner Pearson deliver message that resonates with small town of Lundy, British Columbia
© Dave Sandford/Getty Images
© Dave Sandford/Getty Images