The former NHLers who participated in the tournament. (Robyn Dutertre/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

hockey tournament

Kaminski and other former NHLers raise money for charitable causes

Jun 14, 2024 | 11:57 AM

La Ronge Ice Wolves Head Coach Kevin Kaminki was one of several former NHLers to participate in the Hockey Heroes Heart and Stroke Foundation Fundraiser last weekend in Saskatoon.

The event is in its sixth year and it serves as a fundraiser for both the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, as well as the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.

In total, the event raised $213,000 and it featured former NHLers Jeremy Roenick, Ray Borque, Brian Skrudland, Dave Rllett, Andre Roy, Eric Gryba and Kaminski.

“To hang out with those guys, it is always great to hear the stories and all of that stuff, but to go and play with the team that you’re drafted by and to have a lot of fun, it was an honour and it was a blast,” Kaminski said.

The tournament consisted of seven teams with a total of 80 players. Each team had to raise $14,000 with each player having to raise a minimum of $1,000.

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Event chairperson Karla Drury explained the tournament began before COVID and it is now run by volunteers without the assistance of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. She said heart attacks or strokes have affected all the organizers in some way and they are passionate on making a positive impact for that cause.

“We bring one alumni per team in and, depending on how much you fundraise as a team is where you get to pick your draft, so you get to draft your NHL alumni,” Drury said.

“Being we are from the Prairies, we like to go out and we like to have a good time, so we need alumni who are going to stay out past 10 p.m. and hang out with us a little bit. All the guys are freaking amazing on the bench, off the ice. They interact with the crowd.”

Kaminski decided to get involved because he has several family members who have had heart attacks, including his wife and his mother. Kaminski himself has a bicuspid valve, meaning his heart has only two valves instead of three.

“I have known Kevin since high school,” Drury added.

“We went to high school together and, when we were bringing this event back and we wanted local guys, I thought ‘Man, I got to invite Killer. Kevin is going to bring so much to the show.’ The teams he has been on these last few years couldn’t say enough great things about him.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com