NHL players to again help ‘carry the message forward’ at Shoulder Check Showcase

Rob Thorsen was working from home in Darien, Connecticut, nine days out from the third annual Shoulder Check Showcase about 10 minutes from Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, where on Thursday the hockey community will pack a small facility nestled in Cove Island Park and in unison raise left hands, place on right shoulders and recite six words.

Reach out. Check in. Make contact.

There was a lot to be done.

"It takes an army to put this thing on, and everybody who's a part of it is here because they want to be a part of it," Thorsen said. "I think that's pretty cool."

Thorsen has been living by the half hour, gathering information, getting it together and ensuring everyone had what they needed, the Shoulder Check his calling since his son, Hayden, took his own life May 21, 2022. Rob founded the HT40 Foundation on Jan. 12, 2023, which would have been Hayden's 17th birthday, or just another day for his favorite ritual.

The sophomore goalie wearing No. 40 at Darien High School who also played for the Junior Rangers in the Mid Fairfield Youth Hockey Association placed his left hand on the right shoulder of a teammate and asked how they were doing. The game-worn sweaters at the Showcase have a patch of blue on said shoulder for the colored heart emoji conveying love. Another emoji created by the Shoulder Check makes contact, a little blue heart suggesting one is thinking about another in a more meaningful way.

Thursday is the beginning of a new year for the program and the chance for thousands to make the pledge. Sign the shoulder. Buy a T-shirt, patch or strip of athletic tape. Rep the blue.

"This is our biggest event," Thorsen said. "This is when we get the most attention, the most participation. It's an epic moment for us. The goal of it is to inspire everybody to kind of walk away and think about how they can bring the Shoulder Check to their teams, to their schools, to their communities. The idea is to start your season together making the shoulder check commitment and then check on each other all season long.

"That's a key initiative for us. It's a chance to get more people inspired to participate, carry the message forward."

An interview with Thorsen and NHL forward Trevor Zegras that aired on "Good Morning America" on June 10 and the former later that month attending the 2025 American Hockey League Team Business Meetings in Indianapolis as a keynote speaker crowned another year of publicity. As of Monday, ticket sales were near 90 percent capacity, the projection another overflow crowd at a cost of $100 to watch NHL players then and now skate in the middle of the summer.

For Hayden and HT40. For Rob, his wife, Sarah, their family and another day of healing.

"It's like he's with us on this journey," Rob said. "I'm sure half of it is kind of looking at me, like, 'What are you guys up to?'"

Zegras is a native of Bedford, New York, about a half hour from Stamford, and knew Hayden through his father, Gary Zegras, a founding board member of HT40. The 24-year-old was traded by the Anaheim Ducks to the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23. Though Zegras will play a little closer to home, he's uprooting across the country, left the only NHL team he's known and is preparing mentally for a new challenge.

Chris Kreider, the longest-tenured member of the New York Rangers since his NHL debut in Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, was sent to the Ducks on June 12 coming off the most difficult season of his professional career. He's still living in Connecticut and, like Zegras, remains committed to the Shoulder Check.

"Even while they're managing through those kind of life changes," Thorsen said, "and at the same time totally committed to pursuing their craft and their sport, both of them having the time to be here for this event and being out there advocating for it, I think that's incredible."

They're back for Year 3, with Ducks forwards Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish, Rangers forward Matt Rempe, Ottawa Senators center Shane Pinto and Chicago Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight, to play a game suggested two years ago by Ben Prentiss. The Stamford-based strength and conditioning coach will lead Team Prentiss with retired forward Madison Packer against Team Quick guided by Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick and Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis.

Among the newcomers are Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars), Cutter Gauthier (Ducks), Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals), Matty Beniers (Seattle Kraken) and Will Smith (San Jose Sharks). Oettinger, a goalie, is a Prentiss client like Kreider and Quick making good on a promise from one year ago.

"He was invited the first two years and couldn't make it," Thorsen said. "It was nice for him to even say that when I met him that time in the gym, and now here he is. Just another great example of how this is just an idea that guys are happy to be a part of and volunteer their time to be a part of."

Thorsen then reflected on the inaugural event and emcee Dave Maloney calling for the Shoulder Check. Maloney is returning and serendipitous, emotionally charged moments will be waiting. Then for the first time in months it will be time for Rob to exhale, Hayden ribbing his father from Heaven the entire time.

"We thought it would be cool if we could get people to put their hands on each other's shoulders," Thorsen said. "When it actually happened, it was palpable. Everybody left feeling it, and that was awesome."

Click here for tickets. To donate and support the Shoulder Check year-round, click here.