NHL player Taylor Hall will be lacing up his sneakers in Kingston Saturday for his annual charity ball hockey tournament and he’s bringing along thirty of his NHL friends.
Calvin de Hann, Ben Hutton and Lawson Crouse are just some of the professional hockey players who will be in attendance for the fourth annual event, which also features forty OHL and AHL players.
Hall was in Kingston Thursday and stopped by the local Boys and Girls Club to promote the event. The New Jersey Devils’ left winger spent most of his childhood participating in the organization’s many activities in Kingston and other cities.
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“My parents are very thankful for the Boys and Girls Club and so am I,” said Hall.
Hall is hoping to score $20,000 from Saturday’s event. All proceeds will go to the local Boys and Girls Club and help with the organization’s subsidy programs.
“One of the main philosophies of the Boys and Girls Club is that no child is denied access through the inability to pay and through funding like this we’re able to support that,” explained Executive Director Harold Parsons.
New this year, the event will feature a special kids zone where some of hockey’s youngest fans can interact with some of their sports heroes.
“Not only do we get to help out a great charity but it’s so fun at the same time to play ball hockey, interact with kids, sign autographs, it’s going to be a great day,” said Hall.
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Tournament Organizer Steve Douglas agreed.
“I remember last year there were players late for their games cause they were signing stuff for kids and that’s the most important part for them.”
The fourth annual Taylor Hall Charity Ball Hockey Tournament starts at 9:45 Saturday morning in the Metro parking lot on the corner of Princess and Barrie Streets with finals being played at 5:45 p.m.