THUNDER BAY – Before he graduated to the Ontario Hockey League, Thunder Bay defenceman Hayden Johnston looked up to NHLers like Carter Hutton, Robert Bortuzzo and Tom Pyatt.
These days Johnston, who played four games with the Windsor Spitfires this past season, skates with a group of pro hockey players on a weekly basis during the summer. But when he first took part in Training with a Pro as a young teen, he got an up-close view of what it takes for NHL hockey players to stay in shape.
On Aug. 22 he’ll have a chance to help out the three pros, who will take part in the third rendition of the hockey edition of the event, which is in support of PRO Kids.
“Training with a Pro just gives you a great experience. You look up to your idols and when you get to train with a pro, it’s a dream come true just to meet them and be with them, let alone spend two hours of a day with them,” said Johnston, who spent the 2016-17 season with the Thunder Bay North Stars.
“It made me realize what it’s like to be around them and their characters and their personalities. It’s through the roof and it makes you want to be like them, so you strive every day after that to be like them.”
Hutton, who last weekend signed as a free agent to be the No. 1 goaltender with the Buffalo Sabres, after spending two seasons with the St. Louis Blues, says PRO Kids, which provides sporting opportunities to children who might otherwise go without, is a program he fully stands behind.
“Personally, my life has revolved around sports, whether it was hockey, baseball, soccer or golf. I was fortunate enough to play, so being able to help kids or are financially limited means a lot to me. I learned many life skills through sports like teamwork, commitment and leadership, and I developed many friendships that I still carry to this day,” Hutton said in a release.
Laura Daniele, PRO Kids co-ordinator, said the event has been designed for both athletic education and fun.
“There will be a number of stations and the kids will rotate through. The kids will be in their age-appropriate groups ... And there will be opportunities for photos. We’ll have a photographer on hand as well. We have a little signed souvenir for the kids to go home with,” Daniele said.
Registration for the event is $50 per participant and it runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 22 at a location to be revealed upon registration.
