Hasek's Heroes Take the Ice with NHL's Top Prospects During Historic Buffalo Draft Weekend
When the NHL brought its 2026 Draft to KeyBank Center in Buffalo, it also brought an unforgettable experience to a group of kids who needed it most. Hasek's Heroes partnered with the NHL and the Buffalo Sabres to give participants in the program a front-row seat and an on-ice action to one of hockey's biggest weekends.
Skating with the Stars
On June 26th, the same day the first round of the NHL Draft got underway at KeyBank Center, a handful of Hasek's Heroes kids laced up their skates for the experience of a lifetime: sharing the ice with the top prospects in this year's draft class. Projected first overall pick Gavin McKenna was on the ice alongside fellow top prospects Chase Reid, Keaton Verhoeff, Caleb Malhotra, and several others all just hours away from hearing their names called.
The kids didn't just skate alongside the prospects they competed with them. Skate races and games of puck keep-away broke out on the ice, with some of the game's future stars matched up against kids who were simply thrilled to be there.
Joining the session was the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, a group of current and former NHL players and women's professional hockey players who serve as advisors, ambassadors, and catalysts for the growing movement toward inclusion across the hockey community. Anson Carter, Julie Chu, Jordan Harris, Georges Laraque, and Anthony Stewart were among those who came out to spend time with the kids and support the moment.
"Incredibly thankful for all the players, coaches and staff who made this opportunity possible for our kids," said Hasek's Heroes Program Director Joe Lo Tempio. "Seemed like the prospects had just as much fun out there as our kids did."
A Weekend to Remember Keeps Going
The fun didn't stop when the skates came off. The following day, Hasek's Heroes kids headed back downtown to take part in NHL Street Hockey, set up right outside KeyBank Center as part of the Sabres and NHL's draft weekend festivities. Between the games, activities, and giveaways lining the plaza, there was no shortage of fun.
Just as meaningful was the reunion happening off to the side of all the activities. Many of the kids hadn't seen each other since the end of their last season, and watching them come back together full of energy and joy, just happy to be playing as a group again was a highlight of the weekend in its own right.
To cap things off, the kids were given tickets to attend the second day of the NHL Draft, getting to watch the later rounds unfold in person at KeyBank Center.
A Weekend That Mattered
From sharing the ice with future NHL stars to reconnecting with teammates and soaking in the energy of draft weekend, this partnership with the NHL and Buffalo Sabres gave the kids of Hasek's Heroes memories that will last well beyond this season. It was a reminder of what hockey can do when a community and a league comes together to make a moment like this possible.