The New York Islanders gathered at captain Anders Lee’s home in Minnesota for a pond hockey game, where each player wore a jersey from their youth or junior teams, according to an April 10 announcement by the team. The event was organized as part of Youth Hockey Day and aimed to bring back memories of the players’ early days in the sport.
The gathering gave team members an opportunity to reflect on their beginnings and celebrate the communities that shaped them. For many, wearing these jerseys was a meaningful way to reconnect with their roots and share personal stories with teammates.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau said, “It was Anders’ idea to all bring a jersey from when we were young, it brought back some fun memories. It was cool for everyone to sport the colors of their youth teams, representing where we grew up. It was a lot of fun.” Some players needed help retrieving their old jerseys; Matthew Schaefer mentioned his father sent him his Bulldogs jersey because he forgot one at home: “He picked that one since he knows it means a lot to me. Just playing hockey and growing up there, it’s where I got started.” Emil Heineman reflected on wearing his Leksands system jersey from Sweden: “It’s my hometown team…that logo and that jersey means a lot to me.”
For those who could not bring their own jerseys—such as Ryan Pulock whose gear was held up in customs—Lee provided extras from his collection. David Rittich ended up wearing a Quebec Nordiques jersey borrowed from Lee’s house. Mathew Barzal surprised teammates by sporting an Islanders black alternate jersey from before he joined the club; Lee remarked humorously about not knowing where Barzal found it.
Lee himself wore his Pee Wee State Championships jersey from 2000: “Those were a really big deal as a young kid…we ended up winning the state tournament that year. So that one sits in a great place in our house.” Pageau also shared pride over bringing his minor league association’s retired jersey: “They gave me a great honor, which I’m super proud of.”
Reflecting on hosting the event, Lee said, “I wanted the guys to share the fond memories they had growing up. Since we were back in town, it was fun to host them on the ice and enjoy that time together as a team.”
The afternoon served both as celebration and reminder for players about how far they have come since childhood—a sentiment likely resonating with fans who remember their own early experiences with sports.
