Red Wings prospects introduce hockey, encourage reading to students at Central Grade School

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- In the Detroit Red Wings’ latest effort to make a difference off the ice, all 24 members of their 2024 NHL Prospect Games roster stopped by Central Grade School to host a ball hockey clinic on Monday morning.

Smiles were abundant inside the gym, as approximately 40 students learned the basic elements of hockey like stickhandling, passing and shooting at rotating stations that were led by the Red Wings prospects and several Ilitch Sports + Entertainment Community Impact colleagues.

Defenseman Shai Buium said he really enjoyed teaching the game of hockey to the students.

“It’s really cool,” Buium told DetroitRedWings.com. “Growing up in San Diego, I really didn’t get any of this. We didn’t have NHL prospects come and teach us how to play hockey, so it’s pretty special to be able to do this with the kids.”

Monday’s ball hockey clinic not only benefitted the Central Grade School students, but also the Red Wings prospects, by allowing them to give back in a meaningful way together.

“It’s pretty cool how fast you build relationships with these guys,” Buium said. “When you’re playing hockey games, then you get away from the rink to hang out and do stuff like this, you get to know guys a little more.”

During the interactive visit, forward Nate Danielson helped unveil a Red Wings-themed Little Free Library that was donated to the school by the Detroit Red Wings Foundation through the Red Wings for Reading Program, which is a literary initiative that encourages students in K-5 classrooms across the state of Michigan to spend more time reading.

Danielson then read “Dino-Hockey” – a book by Michigan-based author Lisa Wheeler – to a group of first graders before answering their questions. The fun Q&A session was wide-ranging, with the children asking Danielson what his favorite color is, why he likes playing hockey, if he’s ever done a backflip and more.

“It’s cool to do things like this and try to give back,” Danielson said. “Especially from being a young hockey player and knowing how much it means to some of these kids.”

To conclude Monday’s event, the prospects gifted the school with multiple sets of new equipment to help encourage the students to keep playing hockey and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“That’s what it’s all about: inspiring kids to get into the game, grow and love hockey,” Buium said. “It’s a special sport to play.”

To learn more about the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, click here.