NHL star Marc-André Fleury wows small-town P.E.I.
Laura Meader | CBC News | Posted: August 9, 2016 11:00 PM | Last Updated: August 10, 2016
'It's just having fun with the kids and trying to share my thoughts on teamwork'
When NHL superstar Marc-André Fleury walked into Gateway Arena in Borden-Carleton Tuesday, the crowd was buzzing with excitement.
The Southside Atom Minor Hockey team won a chance to play with the Pittsburgh Penguin Goalie after submitting a team photo to a McDonald's Canada contest. The restaurant chain supports local teams through its atoMc hockey program which helps pay for jerseys and socks as well as giving some kids a chance to meet its designated ambassadors, like Fleury.
"Marc is my favourite goalie, he is in the NHL, it's pretty cool," said 11-year-old Ty Sherry.
It's fantastic for a small town to get such a big star coming to their hometown arena said the young player's mother and team manager Tasha Sherry.
"Our kids are beyond excited." she said.
Fleury offers encouragement
Fleury spoke with the team for a bit and then joined them for a game of ball hockey — not as a goalie, but as a player.
Easily twice the size of his tiny teammates, Fleury bent over to chat with them as he played, offering words of encouragement or a quick pat on the back.
"It's just having fun with the kids and trying to share my thoughts on teamwork," said Fleury.
'Do your best'
The most important thing is to have fun, Fleury told the young players, "Do your best, keep working hard."
"Hopefully [I can] make them believe in their dream that they can make it to the NHL and win too," he said.
10-year-old Jackson Rogers, who got a pass from Fleury, describes him as "really good."
"I tried to handle it, but it was pretty fast," said Rogers with a big smile.
"It's pretty fun — you know, after you get over him taking the puck all the time," he joked.
Once-in-a-lifetime chance
Bringing in big-name hockey players helps raise awareness about the game, said Mike McKenna of McDonalds Restaurants PEI.
"The kids are going to have a once-in-a-lifetime chance here," said McKenna.
After the game, Fleury went out to lunch with the Southside team, bringing his two Stanley Cup rings and gold medal from the 2010 Olympics to show young players.
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