SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild announced today that TRIA Orthopedics is the presenting partner of **Skate It Forward**. Skate It Forward is an initiative of the Minnesota Wild and the Minnesota Wild Foundation supporting community hockey in Minnesota. As part of this new partnership, “Skate It Forward on Hockey Day Minnesota” will happen on Hockey Day Minnesota 2026. Community hockey families and supporters from across Minnesota and beyond will have the opportunity to contribute to the Skate It Forward initiative on Hockey Day Minnesota. TRIA Orthopedics will match all contributions made to Skate It Forward on Hockey Day Minnesota 2026.
“Community Hockey in Minnesota is special, unique, and the most successful hockey model for young people in North America by all measurements,” said Mike Snee, Minnesota Wild Foundation and Community Relations Vice President. “However, we can’t take community hockey for granted. Nationally, youth hockey is trending away from local delivery and towards for-profit clubs and frequent costly travel making the sport out of reach for many families. The mission of the Skate It Forward initiative is to preserve, strengthen, and celebrate community hockey in Minnesota and ensure that hockey remains affordable and accessible to as many kids as possible in The State of Hockey.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Wild Foundation, and community hockey associations across the state,” said Megan Remark, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, HealthPartners care group. “Expanding our partnership with the Wild to support Skate It Forward on Hockey Day Minnesota extends our commitment to young hockey players and their families on and off the ice. We are proud to help make hockey as accessible as possible in Minnesota as part of our continued investment in the health and strength of our state.”
The Minnesota Wild also announced 11 pilot community hockey associations will receive grants from **Skate It Forward**, made possible by TRIA Orthopedics. The following hockey associations will receive a $250 recruiting grant for every first-year player under age 8 who registers for the 2025-26 season: Anoka, Bloomington Jefferson, Delano, Langford Park, Minnesota Sled Hockey, Mounds View Irondale, Osseo - Maple Grove, St. Paul Capitals, Waseca, Willmar, and Winona.
“We are grateful to TRIA Orthopedics for their tremendous generosity and support of Skate It Forward,” said Scott Peterson, Minnesota Wild Foundation Board Chair. “Both of our organizations share a desire to see even more girls and boys playing community hockey in Minnesota.”
The Minnesota Wild also received a significant contribution from the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund to help launch the Skate It Forward initiative.
“Hockey in Minnesota is more than a sport, it’s community,” said Bryan Smolinski, NHL Regional Director for Learn to Play. “The NHL and NHLPA, with help from the Industry Growth Fund, are happy to partner with the Wild in support of the Skate it Forward initiative and make hockey accessible to more players across The State of Hockey.”
“Nothing compares to Minnesota’s community hockey programs,” said Iowa Wild General Manager Matt Hendricks. “At every age and level, kids are given the opportunity to play competitive hockey in their hometown. Not only does this allow them to develop at their own pace, but it also grows a sense of pride in their community. The kids I learned to skate with were also the young men I won a state title with at Blaine High School my senior year. That in and of itself speaks volumes for the ability to develop in community hockey.”
Inspired by the “pay it forward” movement, Skate It Forward is an ongoing philanthropic campaign raising funds to support Minnesota’s unique community hockey model, which is unlike any other in the nation. The core objective of Skate It Forward is to grow community hockey participation in Minnesota by making it easier for first-time players to get on the ice.
Minnesota currently leads the nation in the number of hockey players at every level from mite to professional. There are more than 250 publicly owned indoor arenas and countless outdoor rinks providing affordable, local ice from Hallock to La Crescent and Silver Bay to Luverne. Click here for facts and figures on Minnesota’s community hockey participation and success.
There are three core elements that make community hockey in Minnesota successful:
- 130+ nonprofit volunteer-based community hockey associations
- Renowned high school hockey culture
- 250+ statewide public ice arenas
ABOUT TRIA ORTHOPEDICS
TRIA is part of HealthPartners, a nonprofit organization with a mission of improving health and well-being in partnership with its members, patients and community. TRIA provides comprehensive orthopedic and sports medicine care, providing incomparable clinical and surgical care, world-class research and innovative programs. For more information, visit tria.com.
About The NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund
Established in 2013 by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association, and supported by the NHL’s 32 Clubs, the IGF was created to support and accelerate the development of NHL and Club business initiatives and projects that promote long-term fan development and increase participation at all levels of hockey with an emphasis on youth. The IGF focuses on building hockey awareness and avidity both in local Club markets and on a national level (in the United States and Canada) by subsidizing League-wide programs and local Club initiatives, reaching diverse audiences and offering unique hockey opportunities for players and fans. Since its inception, the IGF has dedicated more than $200 million to develop programming, create initiatives, host events and provide education that drives awareness and brings hockey to communities across North America. Learn more about the IGF here.
HOW TO SKATE IT FORWARD
Donate online to Skate It Forward at www.skateitforward.org or send a check made payable to Minnesota Wild Foundation to: Minnesota Wild Foundation, 317 Washington Street, St. Paul, MN 55102. Additionally, the Minnesota Wild Foundation will seek to raise funds through grants, online auctions, events and charitable gambling. The Minnesota Wild Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, tax ID #90-0518400. Proceeds will be directed to grow and strengthen community hockey in Minnesota.
About the Minnesota Wild Foundation
The Minnesota Wild Foundation exists to support the game of hockey and improve the lives of families in the State of Hockey. With support from Wild players, fans and donors, the Minnesota Wild Foundation supports pediatric medical causes, serves as the largest non-member funding source for Minnesota Hockey, and provides fundraising opportunities for youth hockey associations across the state. Since its inception in 2009, the Wild Foundation has distributed $6.3 million in grants to hockey organizations and children’s medical related charities and has helped local charities raise over $8.3 million through its Split the Pot Raffle program. Together we create a Greater State of Hockey. For more information and to make a donation visit www.wild.com/foundation or contact us at [email protected] or (651) 602-6000. Follow the Minnesota Wild Foundation on X, Facebook and Instagram.
