BRAINERD — Minnesota Wild’s Matt Boldy is one of many professional hockey players playing in the Be Next All-Star Game set for Saturday, July 18, at Essentia Health Sports Center.
The charity game being put on by Be Next McLain Family Foundation is selling tickets on its website starting at $7 for kids 15-years-old and under.
Mitch McLain, former Brainerd Warrior and current professional hockey player for the Henderson Silver Knights, spearheaded the idea to have a local all-star game for charity.
“It’s something that I’ve really wanted to do for a long time,” McLain said. “Get my old teammates from everywhere I’ve been and play for a game. It just so happened that it’s been a perfect storm with what’s going on here for hockey. It really fell into place for the weekend and guys being available for it.”
Eric Pohlkamp, who won the national championship with the University of Denver this year, and Cole Smith, who played in the Stanley Cup Finals this season with the Vegas Golden Knights, are two former Brainerd Warriors expected to play in the charity game.
NHL players past and present like Calen Anderson, Mason Shaw, Nate Prosser and Cole Schwindt are expected to play as well.
Mitch McLain plays hockey for the Henderson Silver Knights.
contributed
“I don’t think you’ll have another opportunity in the lakes area to see hockey like this and see a bunch of players who have played in the NHL,” McLain said. “It goes to a good cause and it’ll help impact Brainerd hockey, Northern Lakes hockey and Little Falls hockey. Having Hockey Day Minnesota in town will be a really cool opportunity to have people give back to that.”
Hockey Day Minnesota is being hosted at Brainerd International Raceway in January of 2027. Hockey Day Minnesota is a week-long festival that celebrates the state’s deep ties to ice hockey and was launched by the Minnesota Wild.
McLain helps lead the Lakes Hockey Academy that runs on-ice and off-ice training in the summer for hockey players in the lakes area.
Mitch McLain plays hockey for the Henderson Silver Knights.
contributed
McLain’s family foundation The Be Next McLain Family Foundation is a nonprofit organization that aims to help young people financially with resources so they can play athletics. According to its website, the foundation wants to do community service and other charitable work that benefits the whole community, not just athletics and offer educational workshops, mentorships and skill-building sessions to improve the overall well-being and community involvement.
“Be Next started as a good tag line for anyone trying to do something special in the lakes area,” McLain said. “The blueprint is here for whatever you want to do. We want to support kids in whatever their dream is. We want to impact grassroots hockey communities and make hockey affordable. We want to help the adapted floor hockey program in town. I have a degree in special education and we’d like to help them.”
McLain won Man of the Year for the Silver Knights this season for his charity work in Las Vegas schools, in particular John F. Miller School that provides special education programming and services for students with specialized needs. The Silver Knights are the American Hockey League affiliate with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Mitch McLain plays hockey for the Henderson Silver Knights.
contributed
“It became a part of my weekly schedule where I would go to school and involve myself and teammates to help with projects around the school,” McLain said. “We got the kids out to skate with us after practice and I got to connect my teammates with the students and it was cool to bring the two families together. My passion is to connect sports with the people who don’t get an opportunity to be around it.”
McLain, 32, just finished his ninth professional season and signed a two-year extension with the Silver Knights.