New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce is set to take part in a charity game that carries a meaning far beyond the names on the roster.
Pesce will skate in the Shoulder Check Showcase on July 30 at Martire Family Arena on the campus of Sacred Heart University, with the event raising money for the HT40 Foundation. The foundation focuses on mental health awareness and social connection.
The group was created in memory of Hayden Thorsen, a 16-year-old hockey player who died by suicide in May 2022. After that loss, Hayden’s father, Rob Thorsen, set out to push a simple message: check in on the people around you - friends, family, teammates, anyone who might be struggling.
Pesce said the project began in a much smaller setting and has steadily turned into something bigger.
“It started out in my gym actually,” Pesce said. “A young hockey player passed away unexpectedly due to mental health issues, and it really took a toll on the whole gym. Ben Prentiss, who’s my trainer, and his wife, Ashley, teamed up with Hayden’s parents and a group of individuals to start a charity game in his honor to support mental health and mental awareness.
“It started off small, but it’s crazy how much it’s grown over the past three or four years. We used to play at a small little rink, and now we’re playing in a full-blown arena.
We’re getting more and more NHL guys to come and play every year. It’s amazing to see the impact and the growth that this fun game has provided.”
Pesce is among a group of NHL players taking part, including Trevor Zegras, Cutter Gauthier, Matty Beniers, Will Smith, Pavel Dorofeyev and Chris Kreider.
Thorsen said the message behind the event is straightforward.
“It’s all about putting hands on people’s shoulders. Reaching out, checking in and making contact with one another,” Thorsen said.
“The shortest way to say it is, we might not always know who needs a hand, but we all have a hand to give. This program is out there, encouraging people to check in on one another.”
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