FAIRFAX – Jon and Amanda Boutin signed their son Tucker, age 9, up for an opportunity to be selected as a Kid Captain through the Bruin’s Club. Much to their delight, his name was chosen as one of 12 youth hockey players to join the Bruins on the ice for an incredible experience with his favorite hockey team.
Tucker flourished under the spotlight, giving an interview, sitting on the bench with the team before the game, and joining them on the blue line for the singing of the national anthem.
He also received four tickets to the game, a hockey helmet, socks, gloves, hockey pants, a hockey bag, and a custom Boston Bruins jersey with his last name on the back. He even got to pick his number, selecting his hockey number for the 10U Tier 3 St. Albans Skating Association (SASA) team he plays for.
Tucker Boutin stands beside the starting players for the Boston Bruins for the United States national anthem.
Steve Babineau
Q&A with Tucker Boutin
How did it feel to skate with the Bruins? It felt amazing! It was what I always dreamed of doing. I felt like I had a million people watching me. There was a lot of music playing, and a color-changing spotlight. They had huge screens on the side of the building showing the American flag.
I was so excited, and I wasn’t nervous at all. I was so excited to stand on the ice. I was wondering how this was happening. It was super loud, especially when they scored! I was really thankful to be there, and to my mom for signing me up. I’m really thankful to get to go to a Boston Bruins game.
Was this your first time at a National Hockey League game? I loved the excitement, and the game went back and forth. One team scored, and another tried to make the comeback. When my favorite player scored, David Pastrnak, I was so exctied.
What will you remember most about the night? I’ll remember skating out on the ice. I remember every second of that. I got a puck sitting on the bench for warmups. It was a fancy bench. I could see into the penalty box, which was cool.
What will you remember about the players? They were really tall, and they were nice.
Did you have any food that you really enjoyed? I got to eat the popcorn, and that was really good!
Were people in your hometown excited for you? My hockey team was really excited, and a lot of people at my school knew about it and were really excited for me.
What do you love about playing hockey? I really like how it moves fast and is competitive. Sometimes the game is in your hands, and you have to know that. You have to work hard, and I like working hard. That’s my favorite part. You have to make fast decisions, which is something I’ve learned to do in hockey. I’ve learned to skate really fast, and I can blow by defenders. I’m also really good about teamwork.
The Boutin family, Amanda, Jon, Tucker, and Parker, pose for a photo at Tucker’s Kid Captain game with the Boston Bruins.
Courtesy of Jon Boutin
Q&A with Jon Boutin
What did you enjoy about this event from a parent’s perspective? Everyone at the game was so nice—from the people who helped Tucker get dressed and on the ice to the players giving fist bumps, to the people in the crowd. Everyone was so nice and treated him like a superstar. After the game, people greeted him on the street, and when we got to our hotel, people were clapping for him because they knew who he was. We were very thankful.
How did it change your perspective watching an NHL game while your son was taking part in an event like this? I appreciate that the Bruins do this to make kids feel special. Tucker was so excited to go. He works hard at school and hockey, and he makes us proud on and off the ice; we’re so thankful he could have this opportunity.
I’d like to thank the Boston Bruins for the opportunity. It was a really big honor, and Tucker may not have an experience like that for a very long time. We’re very thankful, and I’m very proud of Tucker. He didn’t bat an eyelash for the interview. He was so excited and ready to capitalize on the opportunity.
It made me feel like these guys skating on the ice are like everyone else; they care about the community that supports them and the kids that look up to them. It made us look at this and think about how they were all kids growing up with the game. It could be Tucker one day. We always tell them to dream big.