TORONTO (Jan. 22, 2025) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association announced today that Bobby Brink and NHLPA Goals & Dreams have donated 20 complete sets of new hockey equipment to Minnesota-based DinoMights.
“When I spent time volunteering with DinoMights as a teenager, it left a real mark on me. I saw firsthand the impact they had, from helping kids get on the ice, supporting families who needed it, and just creating a place where hockey could be for everyone,” said Bobby Brink, NHLPA member and Philadelphia Flyers Forward. “Now that I have a bigger platform as an NHL player, it is important to me to give back to an organization that gives so much to the community.”
DinoMights works with youth from Kindergarten through 12th grade, combining hockey with a wide range of support services including tutoring, leadership development, community service and job readiness training.
“NHLPA Goals & Dreams’ involvement in the ‘State of Hockey’ isn’t just about giving kids in Minnesota the tools to play and a direct connection to NHL players, it’s also about building community and belonging,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director. “For many, sports like hockey can build lifelong friendships and confidence both on and off the ice.”
DinoMights started in 1995 with 12 kids playing roller hockey in the Central neighbourhood of Minneapolis. DinoMights now supports young people across Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Brooklyn Park, including from neighbourhoods such as Phillips, Powderhorn, and Central, some of the most economically challenged communities in Minnesota.
“This donation gives us a huge boost, especially in keeping our kids safe with proper helmets,” said Scott Harman, DinoMights Executive Director. “And for many of our new-to-hockey families, it helps create a welcoming environment that says, ‘You belong here.’”
The program has additional NHL ties, including with Nick Seeler, who serves as a professional hockey ambassador for DinoMights.
Key Facts About DinoMights Students/Program:
- With household incomes often well below the state average, the cost of outfitting a youth player with new hockey gear, roughly $1,000, can account for 3% or more of a family’s annual income.
- This season, a group of St. Paul girls ages 10–13 will compete in hockey for the first time.
- Since its founding, the organization has maintained a high school graduation rate of 88%, including 100% from 2020 to 2024, a powerful testament to the strength of its “whole life” youth development model and long-term relationship approach.
- Bill Lindsay Rink, a refrigerated outdoor rink, is operated for DinoMights winter programs. Not only does it create more ice time for the program’s youth, but it also provides an opportunity for their high school age students to learn some of their first job skills as rink supervisors.
Minnesota Wild Players Appear at UHL Clinic
Minnesota Wild players Marcus Foligno and Jake Middleton attended a United Heroes League (UHL) Hockey Clinic for more than 30 military kids, ages 7-12, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at Scheels rink at UHL headquarters in Hastings. The outdoor clinic celebrated NHLPA Goals & Dreams’ ongoing support of UHL, which has included more than 400 sets of equipment donated from the players’ program to the charity for military families since its’ inception.