Penguins Practice at Hunt Armory to Give Back and Show Their Support

The Penguins have been committed to making the game of hockey reflect the rich cultural and racial diversity of the city of Pittsburgh, and last year, it was incredible to see the first public rink built in the city in almost 25 years come to life inside the historic Hunt Armory.
Hundreds of kids experienced the sport for the first time with free introductory hockey programming - including Learn to Skate; DICK'S Sporting Goods Learn to Play; U. S. Steel Try Hockey for Free; and After School Skills - offered right in their backyard.
And today, those same children got to watch their heroes hold a practice on the very same ice surface they take lessons on, with the Penguins bussing over to Shadyside to skate at the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory ice rink. The seasonal rink opened Nov. 9, and will run through March 12.

"We are just so proud to have the guys here today to really put our imprint of approval for a long-term sheet of ice here at the Hunt Armory," Penguins president of business operations Kevin Acklin said. "What the rink has done is create an opportunity for us to reach kids in city neighborhoods.

"Maybe we'll draft a kid out of Homewood one day who learned to play and skate at the Armory. But even without that, we're teaching them the intangibles of the game - of teamwork, and hard work. And to have Sid and Geno and Tanger and everybody on the ice today with these kids here, on a day off from school, is something pretty magical."
Pittsburgh Public Schools gives students a vacation day on the Monday after Thanksgiving, so they were able to witness the Penguins making their special field trip.
The team put on all of their gear at PPG Paints Arena, except for their skates, before walking out to the loading dock. Tristan Jarry, however, had to get a ride on top of a laundry cart, since goalies have to put on their skates before buckling their pads. So did Casey DeSmith, who got a ride in the equipment van.

"It's a great incentive by the team that we just packed our stuff and practiced there," defenseman P.O Joseph said. "I think it's a great way to show the community that we support them, and we want them to start playing hockey and enjoying the game that we all love."
From there, they drove through the Hill District and into Shadyside, where they disembarked at the armory. The structure takes up a big part of Emerson Street, and while the rink is covered, it's a bit chillier than what the Penguins are used to … but nothing they couldn't handle.

"It is unique. It's really cool," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "The roof, I think, is spectacular. I think they've done a great job with renovating this. I thought it was going to be a little bit colder (laughs). We were prepared for the worst, but it wasn't too bad."
It originally opened in 1916, with the city acquiring it from the state in 2015, when Acklin was working as chief of staff to former mayor Bill Peduto. They solicited a number of proposals about what to do with the armory, and over time, the community coalesced around an ice rink. So the Penguins negotiated an agreement with the City of Pittsburgh and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh to turn that idea into reality.

"There's not a sheet of indoor ice in the city except for PPG Paints Arena. And if we, as an organization, are going to be serious about improving access of the game to the inner city - to diversify the game and to reach players of color - then we have to bring the sheet of ice to the city neighborhoods," Acklin said.
Pittsburgh resident Kelly Wozniak lives nearby, with her two children attending Sacred Heart Elementary School, which is directly across the street from the Hunt Armory. Both kids have taken part in the Learn to Skate Program, which is an opportunity they wouldn't have gotten without this project coming to fruition.
"It's been great. It's super convenient," she said. "I don't think the kids would take ice skating lessons or be involved otherwise, if we had to drive out into the suburbs and travel that far just to learn to skate or play hockey."
They had a fantastic time getting to spend the morning inside the rink instead of a classroom. "I keep saying how amazing this is that we have an opportunity to do this," Wozniak said. "It's just so wonderful, and the kids love it."

And the Penguins loved the atmosphere that they provided. Sullivan was in really high spirits when he came over to speak with the media following a group photo to wrap up the skate.
"This is a small gesture on our part. For us to come and practice here, I know our guys really enjoy it. It's nice to play in front of kids with their level of enthusiasm," he said. "I think their enthusiasm is contagious. And when you get an opportunity to be around kids and see how excited they are to see us, for me, it elevates the energy in the practice, that's for sure."

Hopefully, this is the first of many skates that the Penguins hold at Hunt Armory in the years to come.
"I think it's great we had the opportunity to do it," captain Sidney Crosby said. "To have all the kids there, you're always trying to find ways to introduce the kids to the game and obviously show them what we love and what we get to do every day. It's a cool experience, I think, for everybody."