Declaration of Principles Digest

The NHL believes hockey should be an enjoyable family experience, and that it develops character and life skills.

Posters, resources, videos and more on the Declaration of Principles page
The hockey community is celebrating these values of respect, inclusion and cooperation.
Stories from around the hockey community and from NHL teams celebrating inclusion:
From the Golden Knights:

Local Parents Thrilled To See Children Play Hockey For The First Time:

"Behind every great hockey player are great hockey parents, and on Saturday, more 800 kids got to play hockey for the first time in front of their soon-to-be hockey parents at the second Vegas Golden Knights Sticks for Kids clinic at Desert Breeze Park."
From Hockey Canada:

Hockey Canada puts age-appropriate programming at forefront for 2017-18 season:

CALGARY, Alta. - Hockey Canada wants all of Canada on the same page when it comes to the delivery of its Initiation Program - traditionally a player's first brush with organized hockey at the ages of five and six.
Although the Initiation Program - originally developed more than 35 years ago - always recommended cross-ice or half-ice small-area games, its delivery has varied from community to community. Beginning in the upcoming 2017-18 season, a new Hockey Canada policy now mandates that Initiation-aged players receive age-appropriate programming on cross-ice or half-ice surfaces.
From Oilers.com:

If you can play, you can play:

"From rainbow Pride Tape to You Can Play on-ice projections and scoreboard activations, Rogers Place was brimming with messages of love, support and inclusion this Valentine's Day.
On Tuesday night the Edmonton Oilers hosted their first-ever You Can Play Night in partnership with the You Can Play Project, for the inaugural year of Hockey Is For Everyone Month."
From USA Hockey:

American Development Model the Perfect Fit in Michigan:

When he came on board, Brooks Millar found that not everyone in the Grand Traverse Hockey Association fully understood USA Hockey's American Development Model.
Shortsightedness gnawed at the edges. Some parents didn't immediately embrace see the value idea ofin age-appropriate, age-specific programming, practicing in smaller ice areas and providing youth players with more efficient skill development.

Trent Klatt: "Go Play Ball":

Fourteen-year NHL veteran and New York Islanders head amateur scout Trent Klatt has a message for coaches and parents this offseason:
"Put the hockey equipment in the rafters and go play ball."