Youth Development

Since 2013, the Detroit Red Wings have partnered with Michigan Education Savings Program and Kroger to present the School Assembly Program. This interactive assembly introduces nearly 50,000 elementary students annually to the sport of hockey, importance of education and benefits of living a healthy, active lifestyle. The Detroit Red Wings Foundation donates a complete set of floor hockey equipment to each visited school, including hockey sticks, balls, goals and goalie protective gear.

The Detroit Red Wings, the NHL and the NHLPA joined together to launch a free North American education initiative that helps students build their science, technology, engineering and math skills using the fast-paced, exciting game of hockey as a learning vehicle. The Future Goals program is committed to sparking student interest in STEM topics and helping students become college-ready, career-ready and life-ready.

Every season, the Detroit Red Wings partner with forward Justin Abdelkader and Michigan Education Savings Program to present the Red Wings for Reading Program. The program encourages all K-5 students attending a Michigan elementary school to read outside of the classroom. After reading suggested books, students submit their reading tracker for a chance to attend a Red Wings home game during National Reading Month.

The Detroit Red Wings' Little Wings program is an instructional clinic designed for first-time hockey players, providing four, one-hour sessions of on-ice instruction for children ages 5-8. The program also provides a full set of Little Wings-branded hockey equipment. Each Little Wings participant is provided with a full set of protective equipment including a helmet, gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, pants, shin guards, skates, equipment bag, stick and a Little Wings jersey.

Each season, the Detroit Red Wings offer a one-of-a-kind Youth Camp for hockey players ages 6-14 at Little Caesars Arena. The camp provides participants with special on-ice and dryland instruction from Red Wings coaches and alumni, as well as an official camp jersey and ticket to a Red Wings preseason game.

Every year, the Detroit Red Wings partner with the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association to support on-ice hockey clinics introducing children to the sport of hockey throughout Michigan. For most participants, it's their first on-ice experience, introducing them to basic hockey skills such as skating, puck handling and shooting.

In 2016, the Red Wings launched the inaugural Street Hockey Summer Tour, presented by Meijer. The Tour travels across the state of Michigan, taking over the parking lots of 10 different Meijer locations to host free street hockey clinics for children ages 7-12. Each clinic features one hour of hockey, followed by a 30-minute pickup street hockey game. The clinics are instructed by Detroit Red Wings representatives, as well as local hockey players and coaches.