Our Ice: Waters added to Wild sheet by Herrity family span generations
Kyle Herrity honors father, grandfather who taught him to play and love hockey
by Emily Yang / Wild.com
Throughout the 2018-19 season, Wild.com will chronicle stories of those whose water is used to help create the ice at Xcel Energy Center. Fans can bring their water -- along with what it means to them -- to any home game, or submit it via mail, and have it added to the Wild's home sheet.
Hockey is in Kyle Herrity's blood.
Herrity remembers visiting his grandparents in White Bear Lake when he was young and going out on the ice with his mother and late father. "I may have learned how to skate at the same time I was learning how to walk," he recalls.
From that point on, Herrity grew up skating on Cedar Lake near his hometown of New Prague, Minnesota.
His grandfather, who also passed away, was his dad's hockey coach, and the two spent countless hours practicing, traveling and enjoying the game together. Fast forward years later, and Herrity's father became his coach, allowing the two to experience the same special bond.
Being native Minnesotans, Kyle, his father and grandfather enjoyed cheering on both the North Stars and the Wild together. "We're all huge fans," Herrity said.
His very first game he attended came during the Minnesota North Stars' final season at the Met Center, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He even got to go down into the locker room and met center Mike Modano.
"I have no idea how it happened, but I'm glad it did," Herrity chuckled.
On Feb. 2, Herrity and his grandmother made a special in-game contribution to the home sheet at Xcel Energy Center in memory of both his father and grandfather. His water came from Cedar Lake, hers from White Bear Lake.
"Our memories together are now out on the ice of the Minnesota Wild," Herrity said. "When I go to games, I'll know that a part of them is still (cheering) with me."
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