State of Hockey celebrates Hockey Is For Everyone

"We want to keep growing this thing, and make sure everyone feels comfortable enough to come in and be able to play and have no problems doing that," Coyle said before the Wild's Hockey Is For Everyone Awareness Night game Thursday against Arizona. "I think it's good we're spreading awareness that way. The league's doing that, each team's doing it. We're all on board with it, obviously. It's a pretty cool thing."

The NHL's Hockey Is For Everyone initiative is meant to reaffirm that the sport is one of inclusion on and off the ice. The League designated February as Hockey Is For Everyone month, and all 31 teams have either held or will hold a game dedicated to the mission's message.
Thursday night, it was the Wild's turn to honor organizations that provide a safe, positive and inclusive environment for players and families regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation and socio-economic status.
With that in mind, the Wild hosted seven local organizations along with the Coyotes. Two teams from the DinoMights youth hockey organization, which provides on- and off-ice development for at-risk youth, played at the first intermission. A 60th-anniversary tribute to Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player, was also shown.

The second intermission featured the Minnesota Wild sled hockey team on the Xcel Energy Center ice, as well as a video recap of the 2017 USA Hockey Sled Classic hosted by the Wild.
DinoMights,
Minnesota Sled Hockey
,
Minnesota Special Hockey
,
Minnesota Warriors
,
Minnesota Whitecaps
, the Hendrickson Foundation and the
Herb Brooks Foundation Rink Rats
all had information tables on the main concourse. And ahead of this weekend's
National Women's Hockey League All-Star Game
at TRIA Rink at Treasure Island Center, FOX Sports North's broadcast included an interview with former University of Minnesota and current Buffalo Beauts goaltender Amanda Leveille.

Several players also used special Pride Tape on their sticks during warmups to show support for You Can Play, which works to ensure safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports without regard to sexual orientation.
"Hockey] is for everyone. All different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, gender, race," defenseman Matt Dumba said. "It's crazy to think of it being this broad, where it's come. To see where it is today is awesome."
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