NHL shows appreciation for active members during Military Appreciation Month

NEW YORK -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stood between a stairway connecting two of the floors at the League's headquarters. More than two dozen local and active members of the United States Armed Forces were mingling in a common area. There were refreshments, bubble hockey and stickhandling and accuracy shooting replicating NHL All-Star Skills.

Surveying the scene, Bettman was slightly apologetic.

"I don't mean to interfere with the carnival game," Bettman said. "We're honored that you're spending time with us. I guess, in at least a small way, we can thank you for your service and tell you how delighted we are having you in the NHL family, and we hope you're having a good day and having fun.

“It's a little different than what you normally do, but it's a little different than what we normally do. But that's what makes it fun."

Bettman kept smiling while getting pulled in every direction for photos, one solider leaving his image capture saying, "OMG, you made my day, my month, my year. I can't believe I met Gary."

That alone was worth countless hours of planning from the NHL Veterans Employee Resource Group co-chaired by human resources manager Josie Russell and coordinator, player safety, Jennifer Pechello.

"Anything we can do to honor our military and let them know how much we're grateful for and respect their service is important to us as an organization," Bettman told NHL.com. "We've been doing things like this, and we'll continue to do them."

On the 14th day of May, Military Appreciation Month, a group also circled Kevin Westgarth, vice president, hockey development and strategic collaboration, SGL, to try on his Stanley Cup ring won with the 2011-12 Los Angeles Kings. Hours earlier, Bettman spotted Russell, a U.S. Army staff sergeant and medic, wearing a Veterans ERG t-shirt. The Commissioner was obliged to visit during a time when the Stanley Cup Playoffs were on the doorstep of the conference Finals, one month before he would hand the trophy to the captain of the championship-winning team and one week after a contribution to America250.

Bettman signed a letter that will be buried in America's Time Capsule within Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia to be opened July 4, 2276. He's visited veterans hospitals and helped the nonprofit Wounded Warrior Project.

Being a small part of history was simply routine.

"We have the utmost respect for the people that represent and defend our country, both here and in Canada, and that's something we're going to keep doing," Bettman said.

Maj. William Leasure is one of many earning that respect. The director of Army communication and outreach in the Northeast has served for 18 years, is a former U.S. Army Fellow at the National Football League and military speechwriter for Commissioner Roger Goodell. He listened to conversations about working in sports and how to leverage experiences. One was with Lynn White, NHL senior vice president, international strategy, and a Veterans ERG adviser whose husband, Chris, served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Among the advice was transitioning from solider to civilian.

"I know a lot of the challenges that service members have," Maj. Leasure said. "And when we're working with organizations like the NHL, especially in the capacity that we're working in, we can help answer some of those questions and brainstorm a little bit with the organizations to find out better ways to execute the program.

"Opportunities like this today are once in a lifetime for service members. For some of them, it's like a dream come true."

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Westgarth told tales of valor relative to winning the Stanley Cup. His Kings were 13-12-4 and fourth in the five-team Pacific Division when coach Terry Murray was fired Dec. 12, 2011, and 10th in the Western Conference (27-22-12) on Feb. 24, 2012. They finished 13-5-3 and went 16-4 in the playoffs, the No. 8 seed eliminating the top three (Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Phoenix Coyotes) before a Cup-clinching six-game win against the New Jersey Devils.

That bond between hockey players and the military is a connective tissue, one woven together by mutual and thorough respect.

"The military bring that in spades along with a host of other things from discipline, just that process and communication." Westgarth said. "These are all things that people want in their employees, coworkers and organizations overall. I think it is a wonderful thing when we're able to figure out how to unlock all of that potential."

At a serving counter sat subs and chocolate chip cookies donated by Jersey Mike's "honoring the service, sacrifice and commitment of our nation's military members and veterans." Assembled neatly were about 150 bottles of the hydration drink BODYARMOR, the Veterans ERG saluting how their "unwavering dedication to the military is truly inspiring and it's remarkable to see the meaningful impact they continue to make."

All of it started as a covert crusade last July, becoming a march in the New York City Veterans Day Parade for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Armed Forces and the NHL recently launching Operation Line Shift () supporting service members and their families. Russell has been through it and knew a difficult job lay ahead for active solders. For a few hours, their respite was fun, games and networking within a pro sports league.

"They were talking about seeing New York and just taking pictures from our windows and meeting Gary and meeting 'Westy,'" Pechello said. "You could see how much it meant to them."

Returning to work was the Commissioner of the NHL, giving a stick tap to the co-chairs.

"They're awesome," Bettman said, "and we're so appreciative to them, for them reaching out and making this effort on behalf of our veterans."