BALTIMORE — About 120 kids from across Baltimore gathered at the Madison Square Recreation Center for the Washington Capitals' 14th annual Baltimore Street Hockey Tournament.
Recreation centers from all parts of the city battled each other for their own Stanley Cup. For the largely middle school-aged participants, having an NHL team come to them carries significant weight.
Jordan Brown of the Greenmount Recreation Center said the experience sends a powerful message to the kids involved.
Washington Capitals host 14th annual Baltimore Street Hockey Tournament
"It gives them a different experience. It means a lot. That shows that kids that you can actually do it, that you don't have to be stuck in your environment, that you can make it out."
The event has become an important part of the NHL's outreach to the Baltimore area. The league sees a consistent presence in the city as central to its goal of growing the game.
Kimberly Davis, the NHL's Senior Executive Vice President of Social Impact Growth and Legislative Affairs, said the investment in Baltimore is part of a broader strategy.
"From a business perspective, if we're going to grow the game, we have to engage all kinds of markets and all kinds of demographics. You know it's almost like an investment portfolio. This may be a long-term asset buy [that] ultimately will pay dividends in the long term."
The Capitals hope the tournament serves as a first step toward greater involvement with hockey for at least some of the kids who participate. Andrew Nash, Capitals Manager of Youth Hockey Development, said the annual event is designed to make the sport feel approachable.
"It's getting that fear factor out of them to start, and they realize, oh, this is a lot of fun, and I'm with my friends, and I'm with people that I'm comfortable with. So it's just a great way for us to again provide these opportunities for these kids."
The Capitals plan to return to Baltimore with the tournament next year to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
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