Video: Teddy Bears!

I love the Teddy Bear Toss. Great hockey promotion.

Hell, when Minnesota State did it one year while UMD was in Mankato, we went out and bought a bear to throw on the ice. It's fun, for a good cause, and makes for a cool visual.

Especially when there are 25,000 teddy bears flying everywhere.

Witness.



This is from the WHL's Calgary Hitmen, who had over 26,000 teddy bears at their event in 2007. Still, you have to think 25,003 is a good total.

And yes, I remember when UMD did this. Mason Raymond scored, and the teddy bears were flying. And then someone arrived late and didn't get the memo that UMD had already scored and further flying bears would result in a penalty.

Not that you should need a memo when there is a scoreboard to tell you what happened before you got there.

(Pat on the back: Puck Daddy)

UMD and Defending the Blue Line Combine for Cool Event

I know it's still a couple weeks away, but I wanted to let you know about a cool event that will be taking place on Veteran's Day during the UMD-Alaska-Anchorage men's hockey game.

For the details, I call on this press release from Defending the Blue Line, a group whose mission is to help offset the cost of playing hockey for the families of military members from all branches.

Defending the Blue Line (DTBL) is proud to announce that the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Men’s Hockey team will wear camouflage jerseys during warm-ups on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2011 before their WCHA matchup against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. The sweaters will then be autographed by the players and auctioned off to benefit the Stauber Brothers hockey camp for military kids in the Duluth area.

Per NCAA rules, the sweaters will not include player names, however they will be numbered and unique to that player. Sweaters will be auctioned off during the game at Amsoil Arena, with bidding closing at the beginning of the third period. Opening bid for each sweater will be $150 (USD).

Defending The Blue Line is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by a group of National Guard soldiers in Minnesota. The charity assists families of all branches of the military with costs associated with hockey. They provide financial assistance for registration fees, free equipment, summer hockey camps, and sending many deserving families down to Xcel Energy Center for a night of fun at a Minnesota Wild game.

Defending The Blue Line is excited for this opportunity to further help military families and celebrate the service of our military heroes. Keeping the kids of military families focused and active in hockey is a great way to help keep their minds off of a parent’s upcoming deployment. 

DTBL is a charity championed by the late Derek Boogaard during his NHL career, and it is currently endorsed by NHL players Matt Hendricks (Washington), Josh Harding (Minnesota), and Brent Burns (San Jose), among others.

For more information on their work, check out their website.