Shoulder Check Showcase continues to grow, raise mental health awareness

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Shayne Gostisbehere said the goal of the Shoulder Check Showcase is not only to raise awareness for mental health, but also to see the event growing every year and “getting bigger and bigger.”

The scene inside Martire Family Arena on the campus of Sacred Heart University on Thursday made it clear that the mission has been accomplished.

In front of a packed house at the state-of-the-art, $70 million arena, the event’s fourth edition was a massive hit for players, coaches, organizers and fans. The event was started by Rob Thorsen after his son, Hayden, died by suicide as a teenager on May 21, 2022. 

Hayden was someone who was always checking on his hockey teammates with a signature tap on the shoulder, hence the name Shoulder Check Showcase. The annual hockey game is the crown jewel of the HT40 Foundation's fundraising and the primary vehicle to spread the mission statement: bringing people together through kindness and compassion, and inspiring a culture of support through small actions that have a big impact.

The showcase was held at Terry Conners Ice Rink in Stamford, Connecticut, its first three years before moving to the Martire Family Arena this year.

How big has the event gotten? In addition to more than 25 NHL players participating, Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty was on hand for the game, which was broadcast live on NHL Network for the first time.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Anaheim Ducks forward Chris Kreider said. “Just from last year to this. It gives me goose bumps.”

More than 2,500 fans braved an early-afternoon rain shower to enjoy the outdoor festivities, including a performance by hockey-themed rock band The Zambonis. The fun moved indoors for the main event, an exhibition game featuring such NHL stars as forwards Trevor Zegras of the Flyers and J.T. Miller of the New York Rangers; Gostisbehere, a defenseman who won the Stanley Cup last season with the Carolina Hurricanes; and goalies Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres and Spencer Knight of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Zegras, who played in the same Mid Fairfield Youth Hockey Association program as Hayden, has been a driving force in getting NHL players to the event. His father, Gary, was an administrator and coach with the Mid Fairfield program when the Thorsen tragedy occurred. Gary jumped in to help and serves on the board of the foundation.

“It started with an idea and some people with a lot of passion,” Trevor Zegras said. “And what it’s grown into, just driving in here, it’s hard to believe. It’s awesome.”

Like Zegras, Kreider and Spencer Knight have been part of this event since the beginning. In fact, Knight played hockey with Hayden while growing up in nearby Darien, Connecticut.  

“To be able to represent that and really just be someone that can be a part of this is so cool,” Knight said. “So, I just try to cherish that and just have fun and, you know, just be a part of the cause. 

“I really love supporting the local community. I live here, right? So, this is where I'm from, and I take pride in that, and I like supporting the local area.”

Before the game began, a video was shown of players singing Bill Withers’ 1972 hit “Lean On Me.” 

Before puck drop, the players and fans all put their left hand on the shoulder of the person next them and said, “Reach out, check in, make contact.” 

And that is what the night was all about, reminding everyone they are not alone, no matter what they are facing. 

“Life is hard, you know? Really hard,” Lyon said. “And it doesn’t matter who you are or what circumstances you have. Everyone faces challenges on a daily basis, and certainly I think thinking about how you operate in a healthy place and asking for help is important. 

“Just being cognizant of that goes a long way.”

So was setting an example for fans in attendance, including younger members of the audience, that there should not be a stigma associated with talking about mental health issues. 

“I think it’s showing awareness that it’s OK to be uncomfortable, it’s OK to be vulnerable,” said Jules Constantinople from East Haven, Connecticut, who played at Northeastern University and was selected by Vancouver in the third round (No. 25) of the 2026 Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft. “And it’s OK to have conversations with others, teammates, coaches. It doesn’t matter who it is, we’re all going through the same things.”

Thorsen was not only grateful for the players who took the ice and the fans who filled the seats, but also for the more than 200 volunteers who made the event possible. 

Asked if the event makes a difference in raising awareness for mental health and checking in on friends, Thorsen said there’s no doubt it does. 

“The more people that ask us what’s happening when we are doing it, the more I know that it matters to people,” Thorsen said. “It’s almost like the more we do it, the more demand we get for it. 

“Of course this is like an NHL All-Star Game, but it’s for a good cause and people tend to play that message back.”