Former members of the Toronto Maple Leafs are coming to Red Deer to take part in a charity hockey game at Westerner Park.
The NHL Legends of Toronto event is set for March 15, 2020, and will see a team of Maple Leaf alumni take on a Red Deer Dream Team put together by Youth HQ.
Each member of the Red Deer team will be required to raise a minimum of $1,000 with the money raised going towards Youth HQ's Big Brothers Big Sisters program and the Boys and Girls Club.
"Trying to fundraise in this market right now, just with the way the economy is, it’s pretty tight," said Meagan Parisian with Youth HQ. "Anything we can do to bolster to support for the programs and for the youth that we serve, we definitely want to be able to engage our community and be able to do that.”
Parisian says money raised from the event will be split between the two programs.
The Toronto team will include defenceman Al Iafrate, goaltender Andrew Raycroft, and forward Colton Orr with more player announcements are expected to follow in the coming weeks. The Leafs alums will be coached by former NHL forward and head coach Brian Sutter.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming former players of the Toronto Maple Leafs to our city. There are a lot of Toronto fans here in central Alberta, so to get to put together this event is a real treat,” said John Johnston with Youth HQ. “This is a family-friendly event, and it’s going to be a great time for folks who love hockey as well as those looking forward to seeing some of the greats.”
Youth HQ is still seeking four players for the Red Deer Team.
Tickets for the game are on sale now with organizers hoping to draw a crowd of about 3,000 fans.
