Darren Helm prepares to thake the ice before the 2024 NHL Alumni Winter Classic in Carbondale.
Taylor Cramer/Post Independent
Some of the National Hockey League’s most celebrated former players have arrived in Aspen and Carbondale for a weekend of events.
The third annual NHL Alumni Outdoor Classic, hosted by Colorado Extreme, is set to take place over the weekend as local fans will get the chance to watch Henrick Lundqvist, Marc-André Fleury, Peter Forsberg, Paul Stasney, Drew Shore, Duncan Keith, Tyson Barrie, Paul Bissonnette, Chris Chelios, Kevin Shattenkirk, and over 40 other former NHL players compete on their local ice rink.
All proceeds will be reinvested into Colorado Extreme to support their mission of providing free hockey to kids throughout the valleys.
“We’re so pumped to be able to raise great money for the kids, and give some of these campers an opportunity to skate with NHL alumni, and feel like an NHL pro for the day,” Colorado Extreme President and 1995 first round pick Bryan Berard said. “We want to break down the financial barrier for years to come for kids throughout the valley.”
The weekend event began Thursday with a performance from country music star Dustin Lynch performing at Belly Up in Aspen and will culminate in the third edition of the NHL Alumni Outdoor Classic on Saturday.
The event will give both youth hockey players and fans alike the chance to watch former Colorado Avalanche greats take on NHL legends, ranging from two-time Stanley Cup champion Peter Forsberg to New York Rangers wins record holder Henrick Lundqvist.
“The whole thing is absolutely amazing, it’s almost like a miracle,” Colorado Extreme CEO and former NHL goalie coach Steve Briere said. “In order for these kids to see an NHL game, they have to drive three and a half hours to Denver to go and watch, and even then, there’s no intimacy.
“For these kids to be able to have so many NHLers, and Hall of Famers, right here in their backyard, and to be able to interact with them after watching them up close and personal is really unbelievable.”
Just seconds before the scheduled 3:05 p.m. puck drop, as Avalanche alumni take the ice to prove Colorado grows the best former players, a military jet flyover will roar overhead to mark the fundraiser. A fireworks display will follow the game.
“We want to entertain all hockey fans,” Berard said. “We want to make sure everyone is having a blast. This is our only fundraiser all year and it’s all about providing for the kids. Being able to offer unlimited icetime, paid coaches, and being able to develop kids and coaches on and off the ice is what it’s all about.”
Influencers like Swaggy P, Pavel Barber, David Lynch, and many more will also be in attendance.
Colorado Extreme has added an additional wrinkle to the weekend, providing some with the opportunity to participate in a fantasy camp and take shots on two of the best goaltenders the NHL has ever seen in Lundqvist and Fleury, though Berard joked the game may end 0-0.
The fantasy camp, set to take place on Friday afternoon at the Aspen Ice Garden, will include 16 NHL alumni split between two teams and be like a men’s league game. Friday night’s game will lead directly into the NHL and VIP poker event, hosted at the Little Nell in Aspen and after party at the Caribou Club.
“The money is going to be used to be able to provide opportunities that we wouldn’t usually be able to afford,” Briere said. “Whether it’s goalie equipment for the kids, whether it’s training aids and devices to help with skills, whether it’s being able to hire more coaches to be able to handle more kids — it’ll go to all of those things.
“It’s going to be used to help generate and create opportunities for kids with scholarships, and with giving kids free equipment to allow them to try the game. It’s really exciting for me to be able to say ‘We worked hard to make an amazing event, but the end result is that we gave opportunities to new kids to be able to play hockey.’”
For more information about the event or Colorado Extreme Hockey, visit coloradoextreme.org.